T h is d is se r ta tio n has b een
m ic r o film e d e x a ctly as r e c e iv e d
64—1245
BRUNGS, J r ., W illiam A lo y siu s, 1 9 3 2 THE RELATIVE DISTRIBUTION OF M ULTIPLE
RADIONUCLIDES IN A FRESH-W ATER POND.
The O hio State U n iv ersity , P h .D ., 1963
Z oology
University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan
THE RELATIVE DISTRIBUTION OF MULTIPLE RADIONUCLIDES
IN A FRESH-WATER POND
DISSERTATION
Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate
School of the Ohio State University
By
William Aloysius Brungs, Jr., B.Sc., M.Sc.
******
The Ohio State University
1963
Approved by
U Ja
Advisers
U
Department of Zoology and
Entomology
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Throughout the conception and conduct of this project, many
people have graciously provided time, ideas, and encouragement>
Without such assistance, this study would not have been satisfactorily
completed*
This investigation was performed while I was employed by the
Robert A* Taft Sanitary Engineering Center of the U* S. Public Health
Service at Cincinnati, Ohio, which provided facilities and personnel*
I am most grateful to Dr* David F* Miller, my doctoral adviser at the
Ohio State University, and Dr. Albert G* Friend, my supervisor at the
Center, who approved of my doctoral research in this situation*
were especially encouraging at all times*
They
Dr* Willard C* Myser of
the University made numerous suggestions which were beneficial in the
initial project planning.
Many persons associated with various fields in the U* S. Public
Health Service provided professional and physical assistance*
Mr* R*
C. Kroner provided most of the physical and chemical information on
pond water; Dr* Louis Williams performed phytoplankton analyses; Mr*
C* D. Geilker prepared the radionuclides which were added to the pond;
Mr* Robert Beiting wrote the computer programs; and Dr* Donald Mount
and Mrs* Helen Ball performed additional chemical analyses bn pond
water*
ii
All the personnel of the Cooperative Studies Unity Radiological
Health Research Activities) who were directly associated with this
study deserve my sincerest appreciation*
Messrs* Donald Porcella,
Robert Andrew, Samuel Cummings, and Marion Gast were especially helpful
and Mr* Eugene Pinkston assisted in most of the sample preparation*
Mrs* Gretchen Fugikawa, analyzer operator, and Mrs* Helen Logan,
secretary, also provided their services*
My wife Margaret was most understanding in enduring my idio­
syncrasies associated with this research and dissertation*
1 hope to have opportunities in the future to repay these
immeasurable debts to some degree of personal satisfaction*
I take
this opportunity to thank these people and any whom I have forgotten*
CONTENTS
Page
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.........
ii
LIST OF T A B L E S .................................
v
vi
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.................................
INTRODUCTION.....................
1
METHODS AND PROCEDURES ...........................................
4
Test Site
.........
4
Experimental Radionuclides
...............................
9
.....................................
10
Sampling Procedures .......................................
12
Supplementary Information .................................
14
Experimental Samples
Sample Preparation, for R a d i o a n a l y s i s ........................ 15
Sample Analysis ............................................
17
Data Processing............................................. 18
Test Water Decontamination..................................19
RADIOLOGICAL RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
..............................
21
Radionuclides in Pond Water and Substrate.................... 21
Bioaccumulation of Radionuclides
...................... 30
Relative Accumulation by Test Organisms...................... 58
Fallout Radionuclides in Rain W a t e r ....................
67
Decontamination of Experimental Pond W a t e r .................. 68
SUPPLEMENTARY RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ..............................
Physical and Chemical Properties of the
Experimental and Control Ponds ...........................
72
72
Phytoplankton in Experimental and
Control Ponds
...........................
SUMMARY OF RADIOLOGICAL RESULTS
..................................
84
LITERATURE C I T E D ................................................... 87
AUTOBIOGRAPHY.......................................
iv
LIST OF TABLES
Table
1
2
Page
Radionuclide Concentrations in Experimental
Pond Water Samples .......................................
22
Organic Composition of Suspended Solids
Fraction of Pond W a t e r .........................
3
Mean Activities in Substrate at Deep End
of P o n d ................................................... 28
4
Mean Activities in Substrate at Shallow
............................................29
End of Pond .
5
Mean Activities in Flesh of Bluegills.........................31
6
Mean Activities
in Bone of B l u e g i l l s ........................ 32
7
Mean Activities
in Viscera of Bluegills . . •
8
Mean Activities in Flesh of C a r p ............................ 35
9
Mean Activities
in Bone of C a r p .............................. 36
10
Mean Activities
in Viscera of C a r p ...................
11
Mean Weight Changes in Experimental C a r p .................... 39
12
Mean Activities
in T a d p o l e s ......... ..................... 42
13
Mean Activities
in Adult S n a i l s ..............................44
14
Mean Activities in Unborn Young of the
Adult S n a i l s ............................................. 46
15
Mean Activities
in Young S n a i l s ............................. 47
16
Mean Activities
in Soft Parts of C l a m s ..................... 49
17
Mean Activities
in Shells of Clams
18
Mean Weight Changes in Lampsilis radiata
siloquoidea............................................... 55
v
26
...............33
....................... 52
37
I
vi
Table
Page
19
Activities in Miscellaneous Samples ........................
20
Activities in Algal Samples Removed
from Clam S h e l l s ......................................... 59
21
Cobalt-60 Accumulation in Test Organisms
22
Zinc-65 Accumulation in Test O r g a n i s m s .................... 62
23
Strontium-85 Accumulation in Test Organisms ................
64
24
Cesium-137 Accumulation in Test Organisms ..................
66
25
Total Fallout Activities Entering Pond
in Rainfall...................
69
....
57
...........
60
26
Results of Pond Water Decontamination........................ 70
27
Results of Chemical Analyses of Experimental
Pond W a t e r ............................................... 73
28
Results of Chemical Analyses of Control
Pond W a t e r .....................................
74
Additional Results of Chemical Analyses of
Pond W a t e r .............................
75
Results of Water Sample Analyses as
Determined at Pond Site
...............
76
31
Mean Weekly Light Intensities ..............................
79
32
Mean Weekly Water and Air T e m p e r a t u r e s ...................... 80
33
Experimental Pond Phytoplankton.............................. 81
34
Control Pond Phytoplankton.................................. 82
29
30
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Figure
Page
1
Experimental Pond ..........................................
5
2
Holding Tanks for Experimental F i s h .........................
7
3
Pond Water Recirculation System .............................
8
4
Activities in Dissolved Fraction of
Pond W a t e r ...........................................
5
6
7
23
Activities in Suspended Fraction of
Pond W a t e r ............................................... 24
85
Relationship Between Sr
in Pond
Carp Bone and G r o w t h ...................................
41
Strontium-85 in Clam S h e l l s .................................. 54
vii
INTRODUCTION
Radioactive waste materials are being discharged from atomic
energy installations and from facilities processing and utilizing radio­
active isotopes*
Little information is available to define the "fate"
of specific radionuclides when released into aquatic environments and
this knowledge is essential to assay the effects of these discharge
practices on the well-being of the public and the environment itself.
This assay must be approached with an awareness of the multiple uses of
the aquatic environments* such as* for water supply, for agricultural
uses, for recreational purposes, and as a source of food.
Earlier studies determined the distribution of radioactivity in
aquatic systems on the basis of gross activity.
Data from such a
source are of little use in explaining the specific distribution of a
mixture of several radioisotopes.
These isotopes may be chemically and
biologically dissimilar resulting in different ion exchange, sorption,
assimilation, or metabolism by components of aquatic environments.
These processes must be understood before any prediction can be made
concerning the ultimate distribution of waste radioactive materials.
The Cooperative Studies Unit, Radiological Health Research
Activities, U. S. Public Health Service, Robert A. Taft Sanitary
Engineering Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, is approaching this problem by
studying the distribution of specific radionuclides discharged to the
Mohawk River in New York State, by Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory) to
the Clinch and Tennessee Rivers in the state of Tennessee, by the Oak
Ridge National Laboratories, and to Lower Three Runs in the state of
South Carolina, by the Savannah River Project(l).
Studies of similar
nature have been conducted by the Hanford, Washington Laboratory(2,3)
and by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory(4,5).
The principal difficul­
ties in such investigations are lack of control over the quantity and
nature of the discharged wastes and stream hydraulics and hydrology*
Under these conditions sufficient information is not available to
accurately determine the mechanisms which control distribution.
Labora­
tory investigations have provided some degree of understanding of these
factors*
Research on marine systems have provided the bulk of knowledge on
the experimental uptake of specific radionuclides.
Some examples are
the uptake by marine algae of zinc-65(6,7), cerium-144(8), and radio­
active cesium(9).
Accumulation of specific radionuclides by marine
fishes, zooplankton, and shellfish has also been the subject of much
research(10,11)*
Significant work has provided information on the experimental
uptake by components of fresh water environments(12-15).
Distribution
patterns have also been determined by adding radioactivity to confined,
near-natural environments with some measure of success*
In one situ­
ation cesium-137 was introduced into a concrete fish-rearing tank after
the establishment of an aquatic community(16)•
A comparable study(17) in
England involved a continuous addition of water containing strontium-90
with an overflow to the ocean*
In the latter experiment a radiostrontium
equilibrium was established and maintained*
Some results of these experi­
ments will be covered in Radiological Results and Discussion*
These
researches were attempts to bridge the tremendous gap between knowledge
obtained under specifically controlled laboratory conditions and that
obtained under field conditions*
This pilot study was undertaken to
determine the distribution of four radionuclides added to a small pond
and to resolve technical problems before designing future pond experiments
by this laboratory*
This is a study of the relative distribution of four radio­
nuclides) cobalt-60) zinc.-65) strontium-85) and cesium-137) which were
added to a plastic-lined pond containing 30)000 gallons of water and
experimental media*
80 days*
Sampling of these media in the pond continued for
Supplemental chemical and biological information on the arti­
ficial pond and an adjacent control pond provided a measure of the
differences between these two environments*
All aspects of the experi­
ment were evaluated in regard to desirable modifications for future work*
METHODS AND PROCEDURES
Test site
A pond at the Newtown Fish Farm* an Ohio Division of Wildlife
hatcheryi was used for this experiment (Figure 1)*
Its dimensions were
50 by 70 feet and due to the excessive permeability of the underlying
soils it was lined with a single sheet of eight-mil black polyethylene
to prevent loss of water by seepage*
Black was chosen since it prevented
plant growth beneath the plastic which might have caused it to leak*
Two—inch meshy galvanized chicken wire was laid along one dike to
prevent damage by muskrats; the other dikes were originally constructed
to prevent this*
One to two inches of sand were spread over this wire
and the pond bottom to provide a smooth bed for the plastic liner*
After
the plastic sheet was put in plaeey the free edges were buried around
the periphery of the pond to prevent the entry of surface run-off*
Thirty thousand gallons of hatchery spring water were then pumped into
the pond two months before addition of the radionuclides*
As this volume
was depleted by evaporation during the experimenty additional spring
water was added*
The maximum depth of the pond was about 3 feet*
Initially y a local clay was chosen as the pond substrate but
because of the high sorptive affinity of this material for several of
the test radionuclides this choice was abandoned and fourteen tons of
washed sand were distributed over the pond bottom after the water had
been added*
The sand contained 6 percent moisture by weighty as
EXPERIMENTAL
FIGURE
I
POND
Ul
determined by oven-drying a sample for 48 hours at 105° C.
The results
of particle size analyses showed that the substrate was 91*3 percent
sand (> 50 microns)* 7*5 percent silt (2 to 50 microns)* and 1*2 percent
clay (< 2 microns)*
Consequently* the substrate was comprised of approxi­
mately 12 tons of sand* 1 ton of silt* and 0*2 ton of clay*
Two wooden tanks* 8' x 2' x 2'* were constructed* coated on the
inside with polyester resin* and placed beside the pond.
maintained in these tanks as well as in the pond.
will be discussed later.
Test fish were
The purpose of this
Pond water was circulated through these tanks
(Figure 2) after passing through disposable cellulose filters which
removed particles larger than 5 microns.
required.
Filter changes were made as
A recirculating pumping system was used to hasten initial
mixing of the radionuclides with the pond water and to maintain uniform
activity levels throughout the pond during the experiment (Figure 3).
Vater was removed from the deep end of the pond several inches below the
surface by means of a 30-foot horizontal manifold with six 1 1/2"
openings.
Two-inch downspout strainers* covered with plastic window
screening* prevented large materials from entering the manifold openings
and eventually damaging the pump.
A 100-foot length of 2" plastic pipe*
with a check valve near the manifold* was connected to a pump with a
rated capacity of 25 gpm.
A return 1 1/2" plastic pipe* with a tap-off
to supply water to the two fish tanks mentioned above* was connected to
a 20-foot return manifold in the shallow end of the pond with six
horizontally-directed openings to ensure complete recirculation.
rate of pumping resulted in a daily turnover of the pond water.
The
An 8 by
10-foot prefabricated shed was assembled at the pond to house the pump
HOLDING TANK FOR EXPERIMENTAL FISH
FIGURE
2
-nI
CONTROL" POND
2" PIPE
SHED
POND
FILTERS
EXPERIMENTAL POND
CHECK
VALVE
POND WATER RECIRCULATION SYSTEM
FIGURE 3
and the temperature and light intensity monitoring equipment^as well as
to provide facilities to perform routine water chemistry*
A 4-square yard rain collector was placed near the pond and the
resultant rain water was analyzed for fallout radioactivity.
From these
data the total amount of fallout entering the pond with each rain was
determined*
Experimental radionuclides
Cobalt-60) zinc-65) strontium-85) and cesium-137 were the experi­
mental radionuclides.
These were obtained from Oak Ridge National
Laboratory as chlorides in hydrochloric acid solution except for
strontium nitrate in nitric acid solution.
These radioisotopes were
chosen because they or their short-lived daughters are gamma emitters)
thus facilitating sample preparation and analysis.
The total concentration level for the four radionuclides was kept
below the maximum permissible concentrations for water for continuous
occupational exposure of the total body(18).
Approximately 4 millicuries of each radionuclide were placed into
a one-liter stock solution.
At the pond site the stock solution was
added into a 50-gallon polyethylene tank containing pond water.
A small
pump introduced this mixture into the pond while another pump added
water to the polyethylene tank.
The radioactive water was discharged through a plastic hose onto
and under the surface of the pond.
mixing.
The recirculating pump completed the
10
Experimental samples
The macrofauna selected for this experiment are indigenous to
ponds in the midwest.
were used:
Two fish species, representing two feeding types,
the predatory bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus, and the bottom-
feeding carp, Cyprinus carpio.
Anodonta grandis, a thin-shelled species,
and Lampsilis radiata siloquoidea, a thick-shelled species, were the
test clams*
Juveniles, three years old or less, and adults at least six
years old of both clam species were considered distinct sampling groups*
A viviparous snail, Vivipara malleatus, was the gastropod representative*
This was an ideal snail for a study of this nature because of its large
size, up to 30 grams, which enabled radioanalysis of individual
organisms.
Bullfrog tadpoles, Rana catesbiana, were also introduced into
the pond as sample organisms*
Several thousand minnows and numerous aquatic insects were placed
in the pond as food for the bluegills.
Bluegills and carp were also placed in the wooden tanks previously
described.
This was an attempt to isolate these fish from food
containing radioactivity; the food would be removed by the filters.
During the experiment these fish were fed dry fish food which in most
cases was eaten before any significant amount of radioactivity could
become associated with this food*
By comparing radionuclide accumulation
by fish in both environments, some measure of uptake via the natural food
chain should become evident*
Internal plastic tags were selected to identify individual test
fish.
After a fish was anesthetized in a solution of MS 222 (tricaine
methanesulfonate), an incision was made into the body cavity and the tag
11
introduced after it had been rinsed in alcohol* then distilled water*
Incisions were swabbed with methylene blue to inhibit infection*
No
mortality occurred in carp* but several attempts to tag the bluegills
were totally unsuccessful; every tagged bluegill died*
Standard length
and weight measurements were made on the carp as they were tagged*
Ninety carp were placed in the pond and 45 in one of the tanks
one month before the radionuclides were added*
Two weeks later 100
bluegills were placed in the pond and 40 in the other tank*
The carp
were about one year old and averaged 4 3/4" in standard length and 54
grams in weight*
Averages of the terminal bluegill weights and lengths
were 107 grams and 5 1/4"*
Weights and standard lengths were obtained
for both species as they were collected during the experiment*
An electric drill with a 1/4" bit was used to mark the thickshelled clams in the right and left* anterior and posterior quadrants*
As many as four shallow holes were made in these quadrants in series
which individually identified each clam.
obtained.
Initial weights were then
Weights were also obtained when the clams were sampled.
These
clams were placed in the pond one month before starting the experiment
together with the thin-shelled clams whose shells were too thin to
permit marking by this method.
An attempt was made to restrict the
clams to the shallow end of the pond by means of barriers to facilitate
sampling.
Numerous clams escaped this confinement and consequently had
to be collected manually by feeling over the sand bottom*
Incomplete
sampling resulted when sufficient numbers or kinds could not be found*
Approximately 400 snails were obtained from a nearby lake and
placed in the pond several weeks before adding the radionuclides*
I
12
Several hundred tadpoles from the hatchery ponds were added at the same
time*
Pond and rain water, substrate, and several clays (kaolinite,
illite, and montmorillonite) comprised the inorganic materials collected
for radioanalysis*
Ten grams of clay were placed in polyethylene
containers perforated above the clay level to permit water circulation*
These containers were weighted, placed on the pond bottom and attached
to floating markers which identified each sample*
During the experiment self-introduced organisms were found and
analyzed*
These are considered miscellaneous samples*
They were large
bullfrogs, young snapping turtles, Chelydra serpentina, and crayfish,
Orconectes rusticus* Near the end of the experiment small amounts of a
filamentous alga, Cladophora sp*, were collected as were fallen leaves
which had settled to the bottom*
After the last set of samples had been taken from the pond, the
remaining carp were placed in the wooden tanks next to the pond*
surplus clams and snails were placed in a hatchery raceway*
The
Uncontami­
nated water was circulated through both reservoirs in an attempt to
provide some measure of radionuclide loss*
Sampling procedures
A 2-foot fyke net was placed in the pond to evaluate its effective­
ness in capturing adequate numbers of test fish at required times*
Baiting was occasionally successful in obtaining carp but few bluegills
were caught in this trap*
Seining techniques were employed to complete
sampling requirements, and eventually the trap was removed and seining
used exclusively*
Some snails, clams, and tadpoles were also caught in
13
the seine*
A smaller seine was employed to complete tadpole collection*
Additional clams and snails were obtained by feeling over the bottom.
Cladophora and organic debris were similarly collected.
Substrate samples were collected in both the shallow and deep ends
of the pond by scraping each sample into a one-pint plastic cottage
cheese container*
Clay samples were removed as required.
Water samples
were collected from a second water tap-off in the discharge line of the
circulating pump*
As radionuclide concentrations in the water decreased*
larger volumes were analyzed*
The total volume of rain was determined after each rainfall and
3.5 liters retained for radionuclide analysis.
Experimental samples were collected 2* 4* 8* 12* 16* 24* 38* 52*
66* and 80 days after the radionuclides were added to the water*
Additional water samples were obtained during the first week to determine
any rapid distribution of radionuclides within or from this medium*
Shortly after the bluegills were placed in the pond they began to
be parasitized by a copepod (Lernea sp.).
This infestation increased so
that 12 days after the start of the test* parasitized fish began to die*
No bluegills lived beyond 24 days in the pond.
Tadpoles were also
parasitized to the extent that only two were collected from that time*
The minnows and bluegill fry* the adult bluegills spawned shortly after
they were placed in the pond* were also infested; only a few of these
fish were alive at the end of the experiment. The bluegills in the tank
were not attacked by the parasite as the filters apparently removed all
developmental stages of the copepod*
attached parasites.
No carp were observed with
14
At the end of the experiment, the carp, clams, and snails
remaining in the pond were removed and placed in continuously replenished
uncontaminated water for an additional 21 days to obtain some measure/ of
radionuclide loss.
These organisms were sampled weekly.
A complete set of samples was collected 3 days before dosing and
analyzed to provide feaseline data on the radioactivity present in these
samples before the experiment began.
No baseline data were obtained for
the unexpected miscellaneous samples such as frogs and alga.
Supplementary information
In order to obtain some measure of the differences between the
experimental pond and an adjacent normal rearing pond, various physical,
chemical, and biological analyses were performed on both environments.
Water samples for this purpose were collected on the same days as
materials for radioanalysis.
One set of water samples was analyzed for
calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, nitrogen, chlorides, sulfates,
phosphates, total hardness and total alkalinity.
Several series of
analyses were performed at the pond site to determine acidity, dissolved
oxygen, pH, total hardness and total alkalinity.
samples was analyzed for phytoplankton content.
Another set of water
Resultant data are
expressed as number of live cells per milliliter with identifications to
genus.
Sodium, zinc, and potassium concentrations were determined as
were stable strontium concentrations.
Continuous temperature recordings were obtained at two water
locations, fish tanks and the experimental pond, and two air locations,
one in a sunlit area and one in shadows, by means of a multiple-speed,
multiple-scan, automatic telethermometer connected to a recorder.
One
15
additional channel was utilized to record light intensity on the experi­
mental pond by means of a solar cell precalibrated with the recorder*
Sample preparation for radioanalysis
In order to simplify preparation, all organisms were numbered and
frozen until the end of the experiment, at which time complete groups,
e.g*, fish, were prepared*
Fish were dissected into three fractions, flesh, bone, and
viscera*
The flesh fraction was composed of musculature and skin, the
bone of scales, fins, and skeletal parts, and the viscera of body cavity
contents (less food in stomachs), eyeballs, gill filaments and brain*
These fractional components were so allocated because data comparable to
field data obtained by this laboratory were desired and this was the
procedure used in obtaining those field data*
After a thawed fish was
scaled and eviscerated the remainder was placed in aluminum foil and
pressure cooked for a few minutes to facilitate the separation of muscle
and skeletal parts*
The three fractions, in preweighed, glazed porcelain, evaporating
dishes, were placed in a drying oven for about 48 hours at 105°C.
Dry
weight determinations were made and subsequent data are expressed on a
dry weight basis.
Samples were then ashed in a muffle furnace for
several hours at 450°C*
After removal from the furnace and cooling,
concentrated nitric acid was added to dissolve the ash*
To hasten this
process, the samples were placed on an electric hot-plate and heated to
about 50°C*
Samples were again placed in the muffle furnace to
evaporate the acid.
The resultant ash was nearly carbon-free and was
dissolved in concentrated hydrochloric acid.
These liquid samples were
16
placed in 150 ml polyethylene containers and the volumes were made up to
35 ml with distilled water*
This procedure provided samples of uniform
volumey resulting in a constant counting geometry*
Fish sample preparation was exceedingly time consuming and
hazardous*
Acid fumes and ease of radioactive contamination of working
areas and equipment by the liquid samples prompted the initiation of
dry-ash preparation of the remaining samples.
After sample separation
into porcelain crucibles, fractions of the remaining organisms were
dried and weights determined as for the fish and then ashed*
However,
these ashed fractions were ground with a pestle and placed in containers
for radioanalysis.
Small volume samples were placed on planchets or in
plastic containers similar to those used for fish samples*
Large volume
samples were put in plastic cottage cheese containers.
Clams and snails were separated into shell and soft parts
fractions.
The shells were scrubbed to remove foreign materials such as
sand, sediment) and algal growths.
Several samples of attached algae
were removed and prepared for radioanalysis.
A third snail fraction)
composed of whole unborn young) was dissected from the soft parts of the
viviparous snails*
Nearly all the adult snails contained varying
numbers and sizes of these young.
Tadpole intestines and their contents
and the remaining body constituted the two tadpole fractions*
Of the miscellaneous samples only the bullfrogs and the crayfish
were separated into fractions*
Bullfrog fractions were bone, viscera
less stomach contents, and the flesh and skin.
Crayfish were separated
into exoskeleton and soft parts; crayfish pereiopods, other than chelae.
17
antennae, and other parts not readily separable into the two fractions
were discarded*
Sand samples were oven-dried, weighed, and analyzed in plastic
cottage cheese containers.
After radioanalysis, the sand was washed
with water to remove sediments and then reweighed and analyzed.
The
differences between these activities should be attributable to radio­
nuclide accumulation by the finer sediments.
Sediments were washed from the clay samples before oven-drying
and being placed in containers for radioanalysis.
No preliminary preparation of the rain water samples was made
before gamma analysis in 3.5 liter polyethylene well-type beakers.
Pond
water samples were separated into dissolved and suspended fractions by
means of a continuous-flow, super-speed centrifuge which removed
particles with an equivalent spherical diameter of 0.7 microns and
specific gravity of 2.65 or greater.
The suspended fractions were
placed in planchets, dried, weighed and scanned.
The percentage of
organic matter in the suspended solids was determined by the WalkleyQlack method(19).
Dissolved fractions were analyzed in either cottage
cheese containers or 3.5 liter beakers, depending upon sample volume.
Sample analysis
Cobalt-60, zinc-65, strontium-85, and cesium-137 all emit gamma
rays at some stage in their radioactivedecay patterns.
Consequently,
a gamma scintillation spectrometer was utilized for radioanalysis.
This
transistorized, 512 channel analyzer permitted a single gamma analysis
of each sample since the characteristic emission energies of the radio­
nuclides are distinct.
These emission energies are:
0.513 million
18
electron volts (Mev) for strontium-85; 0*662 Mev for cesium-137; 1*11
Mev for zinc-65; and 1*172 and 1*332 Mev for cobalt-60(20)•
The detector was a solid 4" x 4", sodium iodide, thalliumactivated crystal optically connected to a photomultiplier tube*
This
unit was situated in the center of a 4-foot cubic shield with 8-inch
thick steel sides, topy and bottom*
The top was opened and closed by a
remotely controlled motor with a gear train.
Sample spectra were
printed out by an electric typewriter.
Data processing
The counting system was calibrated for the test radionuclides to
provide counting efficiencies for all sample containers*
These efficien­
cies permit correction for sample geometryy Compton interferencey and
photon yield (gamma abundance).
This permits quantification of analytical
data from counts per minute to picocuries*
Radionuclide standards in the various sample containers were also
gamma scanned and interference ratios were calculated for the mutual
interferences of the radionuclides*
These ratios were set into a 4 by 4
matrix, inverted, and inverse matrix coefficients were computed.
These
coefficients gave four linear equations, one for each radionuclide*
The
reliability, limitations and accuracy of this technique have been demon­
strated at the Robert A. Taft Sanitary Engineering Center(21).
A computer program was written to facilitate quantifying experi­
mental data.
This program would:
1) sum the appropriate energy range
for each radionuclide; 2) convert gross counts to cpm and subtract
background; 3) solve the four linear equations to obtain net cpm for each
radionuclide; and, 4) convert net cpm to picocuries per gram (pc/g) or
19
picocuries per liter (pc/1) for each radionuclide) according to sample
container*
A second program was written so that the data would be corrected
for radioactive decay*
This was done by having the computer determine
the elapsed time from the first day of the experiment to the day the
sample was analyzed) and the decay correction factors for each radio­
nuclide based on its physical half-life*
Test water decontamination
A portable U* S. Army Corps of Engineers’ water treatment unit(22)
and a twin-bed deionizer removed sufficient radioactivity from the
experimental water to permit its safe discharge*
This water was pumped from the pond through 1200 feet of 1 1/2inch plastic pipe to the treatment equipment at the laboratory*
The
recirculating pump previously described delivered the water at a rate of
1500 gallons per hour*
The water passed through an iron hydroxide
flocculation treatment which removed most of the suspended radioactivity*
This was followed by a diatomaceous earth filtering to remove remaining
suspended materials*
Water was then circulated through the cation
exchange resin column and then the anion column*
Between each treatment in this series) water samples were
collected hourly for the 19 hours required for decontamination*
No water
was discarded until after the final samples had been analyzed for test
radionuclides*
Total terminal activities were less than 100 pc/1*
Toward the end of this process the remaining pond water and
substrate were agitated by a stream of water from a fire hose and pump*
This resulted in a very turbid water with which to determine the
effectiveness of the treatment system in decontaminating turbid waters*
RADIOLOGICAL RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Radionuclides ill pond
water and substrate
Pond water
There was a rapid loss of cobalt-60) zinc-65) and cesium-137 from
the dissolved state with little loss of strontium-85 from solution.
Radionuclide concentrations present in the dissolved and suspended solids
fraction of the water samples collected during the duration of the
experiment are shown in Table 1.
Initial calculated concentrations on the basis of 4 millicuries
diluted in 30)000 gallons of pond water were about 35)000 picocuries per
liter for each radionuclide*
The data plotted in Figure 4 show the
concentrations of dissolved radionuclides during the experiment*
Only
8 percent of the cobalt-60) 4 percent of the zinc-65) and 5 percent of
the cesium-137 remained in solution after 4 days.
During this same
period only 36 percent of the strontium-85 was lost from solution due in
part to the high concentration of calcium in the pond water) about 20
ppm) and the chemical similarity of these two elements*
Plots of the concentrations of radioactivity in the suspended
solids fraction of the water during the course of the experiment are
shown in Figure 5.
Zinc-65 and cobalt-60 were rapidly sorbed by these
materials; after 2 days the concentrations of these two radionuclides in
the suspended solids were 2 to 3 times those in the dissolved fraction.
21
TABLE 1
22
RADIONUCLIDE, CONCENTRATIONS IN EXPERIMENTAL
POND WATER SAMPLES
Days
From
Start
0
Fraction
Weight
of
Suspended
Solidsa
Suspended
Dissolved
(19.9)
1.04
Suspended
Dissolved
1.18
Radionuclide Concentrations »
pc/liter
_ 137
Co90
Zn65
Cs
Sr85
__ b
12
3
14
10
39
13
131
(1.8)
9989
14721
7690
30899
172
49576
2664
27216
Suspended
Dissolved
(25.2)
17004
7960
12429
3651
402
30125
2580
10940
1.23
Suspended
Dissolved
(21.0)
17318
6182
12845
5496
473
30350
4012
10411
2.25
Suspended
Dissolved
(18.4)
15780
4984
9117
4609
434
29699
2058
4943
3.25
Suspended
Dissolved
(8.8)
13615
4595
5552
1113
376
27314
724
2562
4.25
Suspended
Dissolved
(14.4)
11630
2944
4251
1227
352
25757
609
1682
8.0
Suspended
Dissolved
(28.1)
8431
2617
2781
1169
267
26362
640
781
14.0
Suspended
Dissolved
(9.4)
2695
1544
810
948
133
23740
114
585
16.0
Suspended
Dissolved
(3.4)
2424
1285
436
169
116
22425
160
494
24.0
Suspended
Dissolved
(17.3)
1429
680
727
35
220
18301
236
406
38.0
Suspended
Dissolved
(28.0)
418
601
687
--
71
14155
361
214
52.0
Suspended
Dissolved
(23.1)
213
366
382
41
62
12381
202
109
66.0
Suspended
Dissolved
(20.1)
128
240
254
49
51
9559
130
108
80.0
Suspended
Dissolved
(17.6)
119
90
181
30
40
2963
110
69
a
Weight expressed in mg/liter*
b
Less than 1 pc/1iter.
ACTIVITY, p c / L I T E R
23
v
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
DAYS
A C TIV ITIE S IN DISSOLVED FRACTION
OF POND WATER
FIGURE 4
80
ACTIVITY, pc/LITER
24
137
to 60
85
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
DAYS
A C T IV IT IE S IN SUSPENDED FRACTION
OF POND WATER
F IG U R E 5
80
25
Cesium-137 was removed from solution more rapidly than zinc-65 or
cobalt-60) but it did not appear in the suspended solids to as high a
concentration.
This is probably due to a rapid loss of cesium-137 to
the inorganic materials on the pond bottom and to the suspended inorganic
solids which settled rather quickly after being temporarily suspended by
the activity of the fish.
Cobalt-60 was probably sorbed by living and
dead organic matter; large numbers of phytoplankton were present in the
experimental pond.
Field data obtained from the Clinch River indicate
that cobalt-60 is principally concentrated in dead organic matter(23).
The percentages of organic composition of the suspended solids fraction
of the water samples are shown iu Table 2.
The high organic content of
the suspended materials and the apparent specificity of cobalt-60 for
dead organic matter rather accurately explain cobalt-60 concentrations
in the suspended materials which were consistently higher than concen­
trations of the other radionuclides.
The fate of zinc-65 is partially
explained by the fact that the solubility of zinc decreases rapidly with
increasing pH to a degree that over the observed pH range in the experi­
mental pond the solubility of zinc at the low observed pH is about 1000
times that at the high pH levels(24).
Consequently) much of the zinc-65
could precipitate and redissolve with fluctuations in the pH of the pond
water.
Only a small fraction of the strontium-85 in water could be
found in the suspended fraction.
The distributional patterns of the four radionuclides in the pond
water are quite similar to those described from field studies by the
Cooperative Studies Unit(25) in that strontium-90 was found to be little
affected by stream environments with slight loss other than by dilution
TABLE 2
26
ORGANIC COMPOSITION OF SUSPENDED SOLIDS FRACTION OF POND WATER
Days
From
Start
Organic
Composition} %
Days
From
Start
Organic
Composition} %
0
31.2
14.0
89.3
1.04
76.6
16.0
--
24.0
48.6
1.18
__ b
1.23
31.9
38.0
45.2
2.25
36.2
52.0
54.6
3.25
95.7
66.0
57.1
4.25
58.3
80.0
48.0
8.0
29.8
a
Percent} by weight*
b
Data not available*
27
over long distances while cobalt-60, zinc-65, and radiocesium (cesium-134
and cesium-137) were rapidly lost to the surrounding environment*
Substrate
The uptake and distribution of the test radionuclides in the
substrate and clay materials will be covered in detail in a future
report(26).
However, some substrate results will be discussed here
since, by far, more total activity was stored in the substrate than in
any other environmental system.
Mean activities in substrate samples from both the deep and
shallow ends of the pond are listed in Tables 3 and 4, which include
activities of the original samples and of these same samples after
washing to remove some of the fine sediments*
No realistic data for
sand or sediment are possible since washing the sand with water alone
will not remove all the fine materials and any chemical treatment for
separation would upset radionuclide distribution in the substrate
sample*
The strontium-85 activities in the washed samples collected in
the first 16 days are higher than in the unwashed samples; zinc-65 activi­
ties in two samples were also higher after washing.
No explanation of
these results can be made.
Substrate in the deep end of the pond accumulated more radio­
activity than substrate in the shallow end because deep samples contained
more fine sediments, weight loss during washing was greater, than did the
shallow samples, and fine sediments are known(27) to accumulate more
radioactivity than coarser materials such as sand.
The irregular
patterns of uptake by the substrate were probably the result of variable
amounts of fine sediments in the samples, even after washing.
TABLE 3
28
MEAN ACTIVITIES IN SUBSTRATE AT DEEP END OF POND®
Activities, pc/g* dry weight
Days
From
Start
Co
60
Zn
65
Cs
Sr85
BWb
AVC
BW
AV
__ d
---
--
---
1
---
1
0
AV
BV
AV
BV
2
41
29
61
37
40
58
165
133
4
67
57
70
53
53
87
226
205
8
95
66
108
58
67
112
237
215
12
499
200
729
167
245
295
1165
614
16
290
227
228
131
170
247
468
442
24
815
130
631
205
845
163
1777
337
38
1017
262
399
187
1185
291
1334
533
52
233
157
107
80
255
189
312
259
66
306
177
---
90
322
196
402
302
80
285
193
63
78
277
199
376
297
a
Means of duplicate samples*
Before washing samples with water to remove fine sediments*
After washing samples with water to remove fine sediments*
^
137
Less than 1 pc/g*
TABLE 4
29
MEAN ACTIVITIES IN SUBSTRATE AT SHALLOW END OF PONDtt
Activities* pc/g* dry weight
0
er
Co
s
Days
From
Start
__ d
60
Zn
AW C
BW
65
Sr
AW
BW
85
Cs
AW
1
---
---
1
AW
BW
--
137
1
1
2
14
12
20
12
18
27
70
56
4
68
48
83
44
62
90
255
241
8
65
59
78
53
54
88
179
169
12
157
95
125
56
103
154
321
220
16
140
93
91
67
114
128
234
180
24
215
84
72
87
232
129
332
169
38
249
168
196
111
231
208
380
293
52
211
125
109
79
232
129
223
159
66
197
111
122
95
184
141
343
240
80
343
211
---
115
389
214
509
420
Means of duplicate samples*
b
Before washing samples with water to remove fine sediments*
c
f
After washing samples with water to remove fine sediments*
d
,
Less than 1 pc/g*
30
The differences in activities between samples collected from
shallow and deep water were much greater than after these samples were
washed, which also indicates that most of the activity in the original
samples was associated with the fine sediments, most of which were
removed by washing*
Cesium-137 accumulation in the substrate was more rapid during
the first week than for any of the other test radionuclides, a trend
that was apparent from water data which indicated that cesium was lost
more rapidly from the water than other test radionuclides*
Calculations based on
sample activities and the total
sand and finer materials, as
determined by the particle size
weightof
analyses
previously discussed, seem to indicate that the total substrate
contained more radioactivity than was added to the pond*
This indicates
'i
that the substrate samples were not representative and that in future
\
experiments better methods of sampling must be developed. The poor
sampling was probably due to
stratification of radioactivity
in the
substrate, i.e., mor^ activity on the surface.
Bioaccumulation of radionuclides
r
*
Fish
\
I
Mean activities in experimental bluegills are shown for flesh in
Table 5, bone in Tabile 6, and viscera in Table 7. All pond bluegills
\
i
not removed for analysis died within 24 days as the result of a parasitic
infestation and comparisons between fish in the two systems are somewhat
limited*
In general, data indicate that pond fish accumulated more of
each radionuclide in each of the three fractions.
These differences
varied from a very slight increase in cobalt-60 concentrations in bone
TABLE 5
31
MEAN ACTIVITIES IN FLESH OF BLUEGILLS
Days
From
Start
Number
of
Samples
ActivltieBi pc/g» dry weight
Co60
a , 65
Sr85
Cs137
Tank Fish
0
3
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
18
14
8
4
3
5
16
34
9
8
3
5
45
73
10
12
3
3
31
74
9
16
2
5
20
70
8
24
3
7
35
128
7
38
3
16
63
112
17
52
2
13
46
123
12
66
2
18
109
249
37
80
3
25
88
194
22
Pond Fish
__ a
___
....
___
0
3
2
3
11
23
55
26
4
3
5
34
81
102
8
3
8
26
71
20
12
2
11
120
180
227
16
2
12
110
208
279
24
2
8
116
172
117
Less than 1 pc/g*
TABLE 6
32
MEAN ACTIVITIES IN BONE OF BLUEGILLS
Days
From
Start
Number
of
Samples
Activities* pc/g* dry weight
_ 65
Zn
Co60
Sr85
„ 137
Cs
Tank Fish
0
3
2
2
4
a
1
1
1
5
55
118
8
3
4
32
211
6
8
3
5
53
414
6
12
3
4
31
573
4
16
2
9
42
625
16
24
3
8
110
950
12
38
3
15
109
964
10
52
2
12
38
717
5
66
2
24
225
1662
25
80
3
18
91
1205
18
1
1
Pond Fish
____
——
0
3
2
3
6
25
189
20
4
3
9
59
426
51
8
3
6
34
505
11
12
3
7
144
1048
115
16
3
30
536
1056
161
24
2
8
140
732
64
£
Less than I pc/g.
TABLE 7
33
MEAN ACTIVITIES IN VISCERA OF BLUEGILLS
Days
From
Start
Number
of
Samples
Activities* p c /k * dry weight
_ 60
Co
Zn65
Sr85
Cs
137
Tank Fish
0
3
2
2
4
a
1
1
1
13
131
65
24
2
35
81
84
19
8
3
8
44
67
8
12
3
19
69
183
20
16
2
11
42
98
12
24
3
48
197
159
24
38
2
83
223
288
33
52
2
80
233
223
78
66
2
139
450
351
89
80
3
175
380
192
67
M M I
Pond Fish
0
3
1
2
2
2
2
3
38
691
216
98
4
3
73
207
169
238
8
3
28
114
167
43
12
3
49
395
180
396
16
3
32
283
206
230
24
2
76
874
131
102
Less than I pc/g*
34
to almost ten-fold increases in cesium-137 concentrations in all three
fractions*
There was a gradual accumulation of each radionuclide during
/
the experiment} indicating a slow uptake even though concentrations in
the water were decreasing.
the bone fraction*
Strontium-85 accumulation was greatest in
Templeton(17) has shown that bone in brown trout
accumulates more radiostrontium than other parts of the fish and
Friend(28) has found higher radiostrontium levels in bone of various
bottom-feeding and predatory fish.
Relatively high strontium-85 accumu­
lation (250 pc/g) was found in tank bluegill flesh.
In pond fish flesh}
however} cesium-137 levels were highest (280 pc/g).
Zinc-65 activities
were higher in the viscera than in the other fractions.
The viscera
included the liver which is known to concentrate zinc-65 to high levels
in goldfish(29) and brown trout(17).
The appreciably higher accumu­
lation of each radionuclide by pond bluegills could be attributed solely
to different available food} tank fish were fed only commercial feed} if
it could be known whether or not the unhealthy condition of the pond
fish were a factor.
Table 8 lists activities in carp flesh; Table 9y carp bone; and
Table 10} carp viscera.
Zinc-65 and strontium-85 levels were very high
in carp} especially the pond fisht up to 57}000 pc/g in viscera and
20}000 pc/g in bone} respectively.
Cesium-137 levels in all carp
fractions decreased after an initial uptake for about two weeks.
This
would indicate a short biological half-life for cesium in that the
accumulation pattern is quite dependent on the rapidly decreasing
cesium-137 activity in the water.
The pattern of cesium-137 loss was
less distinct in the bone which may have a longer biological half-life
TABLE 8
35
MEAN ACTIVITIES IN FLESH OF CARP
Days
From
Start
Number
of
Samples
Activities* pc/g* dry weight
Co60
__65
2a
Sr85
Cs137
Tank Fish
0
3
5
5
9
8
2
3
276
1771
129
438
4
3
94
691
182
195
8
3
175
3501
287
431
12
3
104
1882
195
188
16
3
174
1545
985
367
24
3
191
6542
617
403
38
3
150
1092
386
218
52
3
104
2361
431
213
66
3
90
2502
435
279
80
3
100
1476
478
238
Pond Fisha
a
0
3
1
2
1
2
2
3
38
494
162
154
4
3
36
1102
446
318
8
3
76
6039
502
532
12
3
112
6243
918
1422
16
3
41
3187
499
1069
24
3
122
13391
1651
673
38
3
223
13245
1732
705
52
1
91
7824
905
472
66
2
146
17548
1032
761
80
3
166
16719
2409
896
88
3
111
11384
1712
965
95
3
154
11330
2180
779
102
3
180
12500
1697
843
Carp remaining in the pond after 80 days were transferred to
uncontaminated water*
TABLE 9
36
MEAN ACTIVITIES IN BONE OF CARP
Days
From
Start
Number
of
Samples
Activities^ pc/g, dry weight
„ 60
Co
a>65
Sr85
_ 137
Cs
Tank Fish
0
3
3
3
2
5
2
3
92
1407
413
244
4
3
91
948
515
130
8
3
273
6841
1282
210
12
3
124
5223
1328
189
16
3
360
7224
3202
299
24
3
131
6119
2161
189
38
3
175
1706
2584
92
52
3
172
5747
4262
150
66
3
518
4994
3951
196
80
3
134
2224
2799
94
Pond Fisha
a
0
2
1
1
1
1
2
3
35
752
730
100
4
3
40
2274
2081
232
8
3
89
11218
3266
337
12
3
94
11990
5277
598
16
3
88
9269
4489
684
24
3
138
19036
6992
348
38
3
244
26332
13877
326
52
3
234
24776
21267
468
66
3
130
26455
14530
321
80
3
160
14344
16888
402
88
3
148
20325
16307
537
95
3
209
23802
19588
321
102
3
191
17961
16898
398
Carp remaining in the pond after 80 days were transferred to
uncontaminated water*
TABLE 10
37
MEAN ACTIVITIES IN VISCERA OP CARP
Number
of
Samples
Activities* pc/g* dry weight
o
°o>
o
Days
From
Start
2»®S
sr85
Cs137
Tank Fish
0
3
10
15
13
21
2
2
1313
8536
275
713
4
3
966
5774
600
951
8
3
1215
17845
867
632
12
2
476
6987
1208
395
16
3
523
11855
779
413
24
3
836
22954
1179
567
38
3
552
5505
664
233
52
3
340
8018
261
166
66
3
333
13036
395
264
80
3
327
6190
461
164
Pond Fisha
a
0
3
2
4
4
3
2
3
278
2010
352
495
4
3
144
3521
232
789
8
3
454
13660
515
751
12
3
477
16798
933
869
16
3
402
16497
623
1320
24
3
791
26293
364
495
38
3
1182
50795
1317
614
52
3
315
8529
668
346
66
3
1322
44027
721
493
80
3
874
57376
324
554
88
3
409
14765
330
216
95
3
724
42924
2264
419
102
3
452
26760
904
405
Carp remaining in the pond after 80 days were transferred to
uncontaminated water*
38
than either flesh or viscera*
Cesium-137 activities in the pond carp
were higher than in tank fishy whereas cobalt-60 was lower in the pond
carp*
Cobalt-60 uptake was different for the two carp groups; data from
those in the pond indicate a gradual accumulation for at least 40 days*
while those in the tank show a greater initial uptake followed by a
steady loss*
No explanation of these results can be made at this time*
The most definite strontium-85 uptake pattern was in the carp bone and
indicates gradual accumulation* greater by about 5 times in the bone of
these pond fish.
in the viscera*
Zinc-65 data for each fraction are variable* especially
Highest maximum zinc-65 activity (57*000 pc/g) was
found in viscera and the lowest maximum activity (17*000 pc/g) in the
flesh.
If much zinc-65 were periodically precipitated as a result of
the higher pH values* alternating with redissolving due to lower pH* it
could be inadvertently ingested by the carp during their feeding and
upon entering the stomach with its acid gastric juices(30) be redissolved
and made available for absorption by the gut wall*
Consequently* as the
pH of the pond water varies* the amount of precipitated zinc-65 and*
therefore* the amount available to the carp in a precipitated form*
would vary.
The greater accumulation of zinc-65* strontium-85* and cesium-137
by pond carp tissues could be attributable to differences in consumed
food.
The tank fish were fed commercial feed* which may have accumulated
some activity if not eaten within a short time; the bluegills would not
feed once the food had reached the bottom of the tank*
However* data in
Table 11 show that the pond carp grew much more than those in the tank*
which in most instances actually lost weight during the course of the
TABLE XI
39
MEAN WEIGHT CHANGES IN EXPERIMENTAL CARP
Pond Fish
Tank Fish
Number
of
Fish
Final
Over
Initial
Weight
Number
of
Fish
Final
Over
Initial
Weight
0
3
1.24
3
0.91
2
3
1.21
2
0.94
4
2
1.41
2
0.91
8
2
1.35
3
0.93
12
2
1.60
3
0.95
16
2
1.27
3
0.96
24
2
1.83
3
1.00
38
2
2.38
3
0.95
52
2
2.38
3
1.11
66
2
2.16
3
1.10
80
3
2.29
3
0.97
Days
From
Start
40
experiment*
This growth, or lack of it, may have appreciably affected
radionuclide accumulation.
The relationship between strontium-85
/
activity in pond carp bone and percent weight gain of each fish is
shown in Figure 6*
No apparent loss of any radionuclide occurred in the remaining
carp after they were transferred to uncontaminated water*
The water
temperature during those three weeks was about 5°C and the metabolic
activity of these fish would be much less than during the experiment
during which time the minimum temperature was about 19°C*
Tadpoles
No tadpoles could be collected between 24 and 66 days after the
experiment began, but some patterns are apparent in Table 12.
One such
pattern is that cesium-137 levels in both fractions, gut with contents
and body, rapidly reached very high maxima:
39,000 pc/g in the gut
after 2 days and 21,000 pc/g in the body after 4 days*
were followed by rapid and then more gradual losses*
These maxima
The greater
cesium-137 concentrations in the gut compared to those in the body are
in agreement with results, 4.5 times higher cesium-137 activity in the
gut, described by Pendleton(31).
Tadpoles obtain much of their food
from the bottom, incidentally ingesting fine inorganic materials which
adsorb cesium.
In the first days of the experiment there probably was
little vertical distribution of cesium-137 in the sediments; the
cesium-137 would then be in a thin layer on the substrate surface.
These materials which contained high cesium-137 levels would have
eventually been mixed with deeper sediments resulting in a more
"dilute" cesium-137 concentration in these sediments.
Such a pattern
WEIGHT
ACTIVITY,pc/g,DRY
I5JOOO
0
60
120
PERCENT WEIGHT GAIN
RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN Sr
85
180
IN POND
CARP BONE AND GROWTH.
FIGURE 6
240
TABLE 12
42
MEAN ACTIVITIES IN TADPOLES
Days
From '
Start
Number
of
Samples
Activities* pc/ie* dry weiRht
Co60
Zn
o 85
Sr
„ 137
Cs
Body
✓
0
3
12
15
7
33
2
3
2531
11710
1694
2017
4
3
12760
34478
7131
21138
8
3
7137
17159
5332
3641
12
2
3019
34058
5565
3156
16
3
1761
17758
2490
1092
24
3
3616
31069
5442
1937
66
1
1223
57637
7923
1659
80
1
1258
12153
2432
686
Guta
a
0
3
20
71
20
81
2
3
10586
34779
6015
38875
4
3
11196
42342
8691
21703
8
3
16542
30871
4620
13800
12
2
10729
42104
9615
7547
16
3
12033
61823
27386
15261
24
3
10207
35942
11899
9528
66
1
4455
23615
6137
7007
80
1
3994
13821
3815
6312
Gut contents were not removed S
43
would explain the cesium-137 activities in the tadpoles*
demonstrated a less definite, but similar, trend.
Carp data
The organic detritus,
which comprises a major portion of the tadpoles' diet, apparently
contained high concentrations of cobalt-60.
The maximum cobalt-60
accumulation during the experiment occurred in the tadpole (16,000 pc/g
in the gut).
As with cesium-137, cobalt-60 maxima were observed within
the first week, but cobalt-60 was lost less rapidly than cesium-137.
Zinc-65 data are as variable as for the carp, possibly for the same
reasons.
These are the highest activities in both tadpole fractions
(58,000 pc/g in the body and 62,000 pc/g in the gut).
No definite
strontium-85 pattern is apparent other than a rapid uptake.
None of the
tadpoles were in the process of metamorphosis and apparently there was
little deposition of a calcareous skeleton and consequently no gradual
accumulation of radiostrontium.
Snails
Activities of each radionuclide in the soft parts of adult snails
were much higher than in the shells and are shown in Table 13.
Cobalt-60 and cesium-137 maxima were observed in both fractions within
2 weeks after dosing and were followed by gradual decreases to about
10 percent of these maxima.
The high zinc-65 activities in the soft
parts (up to 44,000 pc/g) were about 70 times those activities in the
shell.
Maximum zinc-65 activities in both fractions were observed
within the first two weeks.
There was the usual zinc-65 variability in
the soft parts and a gradual loss of zinc-65 from the shell.
A rapid
accumulation of strontium-85 to a 12-day maximum activity of 3700 pc/g
occurred in the snail soft parts and was followed by a slight loss
TABLE 13
44
MEAN ACTIVITIES IN ADULT SNAILS
Days
Number
Starta
Samples
Activities, pc/g, dry weight
Co60
Zn65
Sr85
Cs137
Soft Parts
0
2
4
8
12
16
24
38
52
66
80
87
94
101
6
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
12
6360
5925
8303
5149
3865
1563
1124
1057
925
727
881
740
669
66
8961
25494
35606
29949
44245
24993
16084
23989
39760
28609
41741
57893
40472
13
1713
2971
3543
3708
3596
2392
2389
3177
3518
2632
2960
3970
2677
26
4194
3451
2475
1974
1485
489
686
642
495
414
273
318
338
6
344
1175
703
1059
2451
780
1103
1390
1496
1230
1308
2683
1982
9
443
550
226
147
302
105
76
169
104
104
93
59
77
Shell
0
2
4
8
12
16
24
38
52
66
80
87
94
101
a
6
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
9
229
370
364
351
555
378
231
253
182
204
137
144
130
29
535
583
485
409
506
378
318
445
372
285
399
448
421
Snails remaining after 80 days were placed in uncontaminated water*
\
45
\
during the remainder of the 80 days*
Strontium-85 activities in the
shell gradually increased to 1500 pc/g after 66 days but were always
less than those levels in the soft parts*
All the unborn young from each adult were included in each sample
with no separation into fractions*
Cobalt-60 and cesium-137 maxima
(2400 pc/g and 3200 pc/g, respectively) were observed within the first
week as shown in Table 14*
adults*
The initial loss was more rapid than in the
Zinc-65 accumulation was quite variable*
Strontium-85 uptake
was gradual during the experiment and represented the highest activities
(up to 20,000 pc/g) found in these samples*
These strontium-85 levels
were much higher than those in the adults and were the result of a
greater proportional growth in the contaminated environment by the
unborn young*
There was no distinct loss pattern made evident by the
snail samples which were placed in uncontaminated water after the
experiment*
5°C*
During that time the average water temperature was about
Little normal activity and metabolism by the snails would take
place at this temperature*
Several small snails (3 grams) were found on
day-66 which must have been born during the experiment since no snails
of that small size were placed in the pond*
shell and soft parts fractions and analyzed*
These were dissected into
Concentrations of each of
the four radionuclides were greater in these young snails than in adults
collected on the same day*
Data in Table 15 show that the mean zinc-65
activity in the soft parts was the highest (65,000 pc/g) in either
fraction and strontium-85 was the highest (41,000 pc/g) in the shell*
TABLE 14
46
MEAN ACTIVITIES IN UNBORN YOUNG OF THE ADULT SNAILS
Number
01
Samples
* Mean
Number
Af
OI
Young
0
5
37
27
65
24
54
2
3
44
2118
3922
1364
3231
4
3
45
664
4070
3348
795
8
3
32
2412
9394
6563
818
12
3
61
829
14871
12625
364
16
1
46
364
2357
12070
158
24
2
66
238
3963
6817
151
38
3
67
165
4786
12232
203
52
3
46
232
9011
13122
284
66
3
47
182
11837
19567
172
80
3
52
87
6051
16685
193
87
3
63
102
8563
17312
117
94
3
46
144
13229
16221
140
101
3
67
86
11143
15510
120
Days
From
Starta
a
Activities* pc/g* dry weight
_ 60
c 85
137
Zn
Sr
Cs
Co
Adult snails? which contained these young? were placed in
uncontaminated water after 80 days*
TABLE 15
47
MEAN ACTIVITIES IN YOUNG SNAILS
Days
From
Start
1
Number
of
Samples
Activities* pc/g* dry weight
„ 60
Co
a.68
Sr88
_ 137
Cs
Soft Parts
66
5
2004
65364
12713
1443
Shell
66
4
26B
1030
40818
138
48
Clans
Soft parts of oysters and scallops have been shown to readily
concentrate zinc-65 to levels as much as 100 times those in sea water
within several days(11).
The experimental clam soft parts from the pond
(Table 16) accumulated more zinc-65 (24*000 to 32*000 pc/g) with little
variability between ages or species.
There were slight increases to the
end of the experiment after rapid initial uptake during the first two
weeks in Lampsilis. There was less zinc-65 variability in the clam soft
parts than in comparable fractions of the other primary consumers
(snails* tadpoles* and carp).
Clams* when siphoning* filter suspended
materials from the water for food; consequently* the foods of each clam
would be practically the same and would presumably contain similar
zinc-65 concentrations.
The foods of the bottom-feeding primary
consumers would* however* be more variable and more inorganic materials
on the pond bottom would be inadvertently ingested* resulting in variable
zinc-65 accumulation.
The solubility relationship of zinc with pH* as
discussed previously* would be a less important factor affecting zinc-65
concentration by the filter-feeding clams since they feed only on
suspended foods.
The clam soft parts accumulated maximum cesium-137
(600 to 3000 pc/g) and cobalt-60 activities (2800 to 6700 pc/g) within
8 days and these activities gradually decreased from that time.
The
high cobalt-60 activities in the soft parts were only exceeded by those
found in the tadpoles and were apparently due to the large amount of
living and dead phytoplankton filtered from the water (as discussed
earlier* cobalt concentrates principally in dead organic matter).
Strontium-85 uptake was rapid initially and continued at a reduced rate
TABLE 16
49
MEAN ACTIVITIES IN
SOFT PARTS OF CLAMS
I
Days
From
Start®
Number
of
Samples
Activities! pc/g* dry weight
Sr85
Co60
c.137
Juvenile Lampsilis
11
14
8
16
3
6730
24034
3456
1856
4
1
2598
9738
1670
793
38
2
1009
12207
7457
982
66
1
1836
31224
7059
679
80
3
1362
24628
9389
488
87
2
2196
27197
9410
508
94
3
2162
35823
13039
727
101
2
2384
28683
7778
476
0
3
2
1
Adult Lampsilis
0
3
4
14
6
7
2
3
2937
8070
1583
915
4
2
4585
23688
4469
1714
8
2
4837
10429
6055
2986
12
2
3307
22477
6731
1463
16
2
3200
28106
7693
1206
24
2
2460
20754
8047
949
38
2
2787
29812
10775
627
52
2
1912
20672
9741
677
66
3
1836
27105
9333
656
80
3
2310
31341
8810
629
87
3
1291
20970
9640
491
94
3 Jt
m
3
1832
22643
8511
506
1681
,24098
11066
480
101
TABLE 16— Continued
Days
From
Start®
Number
of
Samples
50
Activities! pc/gf dry weight
_ 60
Co
z»65
Sr85
c.137
Juvenile Anodonta
0
2
11
18
12
15
38
2
2783
20890
7568
539
66
3
2095
23559
7369
400
60
3
2439
24129
8592
624
94
1
2645
41080
7536
255
101
1
2203
26031
6601
93
Adult. Anodonta
a
0
2
4
21
10
32
38
2
2246
22527
7805
653
80
2
3755
32145
11379
359
Clams remaining after 80 days were placed in uncontaminated water*
51
to near the end of the experiment when maxima of 9000 to 11000 pc/g were
observed.
There were no real differences in cobalt-60 and zinc-65
accumulation in the soft parts by the two age groups of the two species,
but more strontium-85 was present in soft parts of the older clams of
both species.
The soft parts of Lampsilis accumulated 3 times more
cesium-137 than Anodonta.
Cesium-137 maxima as mentioned earlier
occurred within 8 days and since no samples of Anodonta could be
collected before 38 days, the observed maxima for this species would be
expected to be lower than the actual maxima.
After 80 days both species
contained similar concentrations of cesium-137 in the soft parts.
Data showing radionuclide activity in clam shells are presented
in Table 17.
The differences in strontium-85 accumulations in the
shells of the four clam groups are shown in Figure 7.
Strontium-85
levels increased from adult Lampsilis, the thick-shelled species, to
adult Anodonta, the thin-shelled species, to juvenile Lampsilis to
juvenile Anodonta. These differences were not observed for cobalt-60,
zinc-65, or cesium-137.
soft parts.
Activities were lower in the shells than in the
Cesium-137 activities reached early maxima and gradually
decreased after one week to less than 50 pc/g.
There appeared to be a
gradual accumulation of cobalt-60 in Lampsilis with no pattern demon­
strated by zinc-65 activities.
Growth data for both age groups of Lampsilis are shown in Table
18.
The young of this species grew appreciably more than the adults,
whose growth was insignificant.
»
These differences in growth should
explain the greater accumulation of strontium-85 in the shells of
juvenile Lampsilis and possibly the lower strontium-85 levels in the
52
TABLE 17
MEAN ACTIVITIES IN SHELLS OF CLAMS
Days
From
Starta
Number
of
Samples
Activities* pc/g* dry weight
„ 60
Co
e 85
Sr
c . 137
Juvenile Lampsilis
0
3
1
1
1
1
2
3
53
57
53
81
4
1
70
132
46
64
38
2
60
99
3135
17
66
1
194
232
2082
13
80
3
116
147
3177
8
87
2
47
95
1181
8
94
3
77
94
809
9
101
2
96
116
924
6
Adult Lampsilis
__ b
0
3
2
2
2
3
52
55
25
16
4
2
80
48
30
20
8
2
102
312
175
137
12
2
192
106
65
36
16
2
129
90
159
20
24
2
121
4
155
15
38
2
114
124
340
30
52
2
82
52
228
8
66
3
92
72
348
13
80
3
129
83
521
14
87
3
204
125
430
15
94
3
147
91
931
22
101
3
92
78
242
12
1
TABLE 17— -Continued
Days
From
Start®
Number
of
Samples
53
Activitiest pc/g* dry weight
c.60
z*65
Sr“
Cs137
Juvenile Anodonta
4
0
2
19
17
9
38
2
111
146
7108
52
66
3
103
145
9186
54
80
2
132
209
6162
37
94
1
101
106
2958
24
101
1
58
126
12908
41
Adult Anodonta
0
2
10
4
6
10
38
2
179
169
812
44
80
3
180
219
2449
42
a
Clams remaining after 80 days were placed in uncontaminated water*
^
Less than 1 pc/g*
54
10,000
JU V E N IL E
AN ODON TA
?
/
m
/
5 ,0 0 0
I
/
/
MEAN
A C T IV IT Y ,p c /g ,D R Y
WEIGHT
0
JU V E N IL E
LA M P S IL IS
ADULT
A NOPQNTA
1,000
ADULT
L A M P S IL IS \.
20
40
60
DAYS
STRONTIUM-85 IN CLAM SHELLS.
FIG U R E
7
80
TABLE 18
55
MEAN WEIGHT CHANGES IN LAMPSILIS RADIATA SILOQUOIDEAa
Adult
Juvenile
!
Days
From
Start
a
Number
of
Glams
Final
Over
Initial
Weight
Number
of
Clams
Final
Over
Initial
Weight
2
3
1.00
3
i
1.06
4
2
1.01
1
1.01
8
2
1.02
--
—
12
2
1.01
w
--
16
2
1.03
—
—
24
2
1.02
--
—
38
2
1.01
2
52
2
0.97
66
3
1.00
1
1.18
80
3
0.98
3
1.19
Thick-shelled clam species.
—
1.19
■ M
56
soft parts of these young because of deposition of strontium-85 as shell
by the mantle which was included in the soft parts fraction*
The
differential uptake of strontium-85 by the shells of adult and juvenile
Anodonta may also be due to growth differences although no growth data
were obtained.
As with the carp and snails there were no patterns of
radionuclide loss from the clams after being placed in uncontaminated
water*
No evidence of siphoning by the clams was observed while they
were in the cold (5°C) water and metabolic activity was greatly reduced
so that no appreciable loss was expected*
Miscellaneous samples
The only miscellaneous samples in the pond from the start of the
experiment to collection were the crayfish.
Data in Table 19 indicate
that algal and leaf samples accumulated more strontium-85 than the other
radionuclides.
This was probably due to the greater availability of this
radioisotope in solution at the time these samples became available.
The filamentous algal samples contained some fine sediments which could
not be removed and these sediments would contribute to the observed
activities.
The highest strontium-85 activity per gram (112)000 pc) of
any sample organism occurred in the crayfish exoskeleton.
The calcium
content of the exoskeleton of this species of crayfish) Orconectes
rusticus) in water of comparable hardness is about 15 to 20 percent of
the dry weight(32).
The two crayfish collected probably underwent a
molt during the experiment when a new exoskeleton grew from inorganic
materials in the environment as well as some which were withdrawn from
the old exoskeleton prior to molt(33).
Large amounts of strontium-85
could be accumulated under these conditions.
Activities in the algae
TABLE 19
57
ACTIVITIES IN MISCELLANEOUS SAMPLES
Days
From
Start
Activities* pc/g* dry weight
Co60
_ 65
Zn
Sr85
c.137
38
3966
1953
4322
1423
---
52
3113
1496
5301
1174
Alga
---
66
2767
1774
4314
1022
Alga
---
80
3257
888
4189
989
Leaves
---
52
563
1039
5675
420
Leaves
———
66
733
1247
6209
425
Leaves
----
80
400
638
4337
295
Crayfish
Flesh
38
1419
15980
5756
2402
Crayfish
Flesh
80
777
11156
10438
1145
Crayfish
Exoskeleton
38
477
4095
112105
1015
Crayfish
Exoskeleton
80
410
2425
111285
739
Bullfrog
Bone
38
84
3964
1785
290
Bullfrog
Bone
66
6
273
134
31
Bullfrog
Bone
80
33
9360
4678
186
Bullfrog
Flesh
38
105
2878
226
426
Bullfrog
Flesh
66
15
52
27
69
Bullfrog
Flesh
80
36
3703
521
213
Bullfrog
Viscera
38
188
4902
318
287
Bullfrog
Viscera
66
64
2157
144
158
Bullfrog
Viscera
80
6
46
48
20
Turtle
Whole
66
43
101
472
115
Turtle
Whole
66
27
100
165
67
Sample*
Fraction
Alga**
...
Alga
a
Algal and leaf sample data represent means of duplicate samples* all
others are single samples.
b
Cladophora sp.
58
removed from clam shells are shown in Table 20*
The results of analysis
of additional miscellaneous samples, such as* frogs, turtles, etc., are
shown in Table 19.
Relative accumulation by
test organisms
Cobalt-60
Cobalt-60 maximum mean accumulations are listed in Table 21 for
each test organism.
This tabulation includes the sampling day on which
these maxima were observed.
Early maxima indicate very rapid uptake
followed by loss or stabilization; late maxima indicate gradual accumu­
lation to that sampling day, even though radionuclide concentrations in
the water were steadily decreasing for the 80 days.
Retention ratios
indicate the approximate rate of loss from the observed maximum activity
by the organisms.
Greatest cobalt-60 accumulations were found in the tadpole
fractions, 17,000 pc/g in the gut.
Snail soft parts contained 8,000
pc/g and cobalt-60 activities in the soft parts of clams ranged from
2800 to 6700 pc/g, higher in both age groups of Lampsilis. The species
difference in clams may be due to early accumulation of cobalt-60 during
which higher maxima occurred in Anodonta but, since no samples of this
species were collected before 38 days, these maxima were not observed.
Cobalt-60 activities in the two species were approximately the same in
the 80-day samples.
The clam species difference for cobalt-60 accumu­
lation was also exhibited by shell data and probably for the same
reason.
Cobalt-60 activities in carp viscera reached a maximum of 1300
pc/g and accumulation in snail and clam shells was much lower than in
TABLE 20
59
ACTIVITIES IN ALGAL SAMPLES REMOVED FROM CLAM SHELLS
Days
From
Start
__________ Activities, pc/g, dry weight
- 60
Co
_65
Ski
_ 85
Sr
_ 137
Cs
2
2403
3401
2480
3723
66
2492
2549
3018
1562
66
2973
3409
2849
1752
TABLE 21
60
Carp (tank)
Carp
Bluegill (tank)
Bluegill
Carp (tank)
Carp
Bluegill (tank)
Bluegill
Carp (tank)
Carp
Bluegill (tank)
Bluegill
Tadpole
Tadpole
Snail
Snail
Snail
Lampsilis (adult)
Lampsilis (.juvenile)
Anodonta (adult)«
Anodonta (.juvenile)”
Lampsilis (adult)
Lampsilis (.juvenile)
Anodonta (adult)”
Anodonta (juvenile)**
Fraction
flesh
flesh
flesh
flesh
bone
bone
bone
bone
viscera
viscera
viscera
viscera
body
gut
shell
soft parts
unborn young
shell
shell
shell
shell
soft parts
soft parts
soft parts
soft parts
276
223
25
12
518
244
24
30
1313
1322
175
76
12760
16542
555
8303
2412
192
194
180
132
4837
6730
3755
2783
2
38
80
16
66
38
66
16
2
66
80
24
4
8
16
8
8
12
66
80
80
8
2
80
38
Retention
Ratio**
Organism
Number of
Days to Reach
Maximum
<
/
Maximum
Observed
Mean
Accumulation
COBALT-60 ACCUMULATION IN TEST ORGANISMS
0*36
0.81
1.00
__ c
0.26
0.78
0.75
--0.25
0.34
1.00
-0.10
0.24
0.23
0.10
0.04
0.67
0.60
1.00
1.00
0.48
0.20
1.00
0.88
a
Values expressed in pc/g, dry weight.
b
Ratio of accumulation after 80 days to maximum observed mean
accumulation.
°
No pond bluegills available after 24 days.
^
No samples available before 38 days.
61
their soft parts*
Cobalt-60 activities were generally higher in the
viscera and soft parts of the primary consumers than in comparable
bluegill fractions.
Cobalt-60 accumulation by fractions other than bone
or shell reached observed maxima usually within the first 8 days; maxima
in the hard parts occurred from 12 to 80 days, indicating a gradual
uptake.
Fish bone contained higher concentrations of cobalt-60 than did
the flesh, indicating a greater specificity of cobalt for bone.
Although carp flesh from both the pond and tank reached similar cobalt-60
maxima the uptake patterns as indicated by the time of the occurrence of
these maxima> 2 days in the tank and 38 days in the pondy are quite
different.
No explanation of this situation can be made.
There was
greater retention by hard parts but this is probably the result of later
observed maxima.
From 10 to 50 percent of the cobalt-60 in soft parts
and flesh was usually retained for the duration of the experiment.
Zinc-65
Maximum zinc-65 accumulations are much more descriptive of the
distribution of this radionuclide in experimental organisms (Table 22)
than the variabley periodic data for each sample fraction.
As with
cobalt-60y tadpoles accumulated more zinc-65y 58y000 pc/g in the body
and 62y000 pc/g in the guty than did any other Organism.
in the viscera of pond carp were nearly as high.
Concentrations
Carp in both systems
accumulated 40 to 140 times more zinc-65 than did the bluegills.
Pond
carp maximum activities in the three fractions were 2.5 to 3.5 times
those observed in the tank fish and were due apparently to the
differences in growth and food as previously discussed.
Maximum zinc-65
accumulation by pond bluegillsy which were only available for the first
TABLE 22
62
f
Carp (tank)
Carp
Bluegill (tank)
Bluegill
Carp (tank)
Carp
Bluegill (tank)
Bluegill
Carp (tank)
Carp
Bluegill (tank)
Bluegill
Tadpole
Tadpole
Snail
Snail
Snail
Lampsilis (adult)
Lampsilis (juvenile)
Anodonta (adult)**
Anodonta (juvenile)1*
Lampsilis (adult)
Lampsilis (juvenile)
Anodonta (adult)d
Anodonta (juvenile)^
a
flesh
flesh
flesh
flesh
bone
bone
bone
bone
viscera
viscera
viscera
viscera
body
gut
shell
soft parts
unborn young
shell
shell
shell
shell
soft parts
soft parts
soft parts
soft parts
6542
17548
109
120
7224
26332
225
536
22954
57376
450
874
57637
61823
583
44245
14871
312
232
219
209
31341
31224
32145
24129
24
66
66
12
16
38
66
16
24
80
52
24
66
16
4
16
12
8
66
80
80
80
66
80
80
Values expressed in pc/g, dry weight*
Ratio of accumulation after 80 days to maximum observed mean
accumulation*
c
No pond bluegills available after 24 days*
^
No samples available before 38 days*
Retention
Ratio**
Fraction
Number of
Days to Reach
Maximum
Organism
Maximum
Observed
Mean
Accumulation
ZINC-65 ACCUMULATION IN TEST ORGANISMS
I
0.23
0.95
0.81
0.31
0.54
0.40
0.27
1.00
0.84
--0.21
0.22
0.49
0.65
0.41
0.27
0.63
1.00
1.00
1.00
0.80
1.00
1.00
c
63
24 days, were still higher than those observed in comparable fractions
of the tank bluegills*
There was a much greater accumulation of zinc-65
in carp bbne (7(000 to 26,000 pc/g) than in snail and clam shells which
contained little zinc-65 (600 and 200 pc/g, respectively)*
Snail and
clam soft parts, however, accumulated 44,000 pc/g and about 30,000 pc/g,
respectively*
There were no apparent differences in observed zinc-65
maxima due to age or species of clams in either fraction*
Data indicate that in almost every instance zinc-65 was gradually
accumulated by both fractions of the four clam groups during the experi­
ment*
Zinc-65 activity maxima were observed within 16 to 24 days in the
three fractions of tank carp, while later maxima, 38 to 80 days, were
found in the pond fish; this result is probably related to the continuing
growth of pond carp during the experiment*
Zinc-65 retention ratios, the ratio between maximum and terminal
accumulations, are also listed in Table 22 and indicate that there was a
greater retention of zinc-65 than of cobalt-60, which has been discussed*
Strontium-85
Strontium-85 accumulation in fish was highest in the bone
fractions (up to 21,000 pc/g) with all fractions of the pond carp
containing more than the tank carp fractions (Table 23).
Bluegills in
the tank contained more strontium-85 than did those in the pond*
This
was to be expected since strontium-85 was usually accumulated slowly and
no pond bluegills remained after 24 days so that the potential maxima in
pond bluegills could not be observed*
The unborn young of the adult
snails accumulated more strontium-85 (20,000 pc/g) than did either adult
fraction (2,500 pc/g in shell and 3,700 pc/g in the soft parts) because
TABLE 23
64
Carp (tank)
Carp
Bluegill (tank)
Bluegill
Carp (tank)
Carp
Bluegill (tank)
Bluegill
Carp (tank)
Carp
Bluegill (tank)
Bluegill
Tadpole
Tadpole
Snail
Snail
Snail
Lampsilis (adult)
Lampsilis (.iuvenile)
Anodonta (adult)**
Anodonta (juvenile)**
Lampsilis (adult)
Lampsilis (juvenile)
Anodonta (adult)^
Anodonta (juvenile)^
a
flesh
flesh
flesh
flesh
bone
bone
bone
bone
viscera
viscera
viscera
viscera
body
gut
shell
soft parts
unborn young
shell
shell
shell
shell
soft parts
soft parts
soft parts
soft parts
985
2409
249
208
4262
21267
1662
1056
1179
1317
351
216
7923
27386
2451
3708
19567
521
3177
2449
9186
10775
9389
11379
8592
.
16
80
66
16
52
52
66
16
24
38
66
2
66
16
16
12
66
80
80
80
66
38
80
80
80
Values expressed in pc/g, dry weight.
Ratio of accumulation after 80 days to maximum observed mean
accumulation.
c
No pond bluegills available after 24 days.
^
No samples available before 38 days.
Retention
Ratiob
i
Fraction
Number of
Days to Reach
Maximum
Organism
Maximum
Observed
Mean
Accumulation
£
STRONTIUM-85 ACCUMULATION IN TEST ORGANISMS
0.49
1.00
0.78
__ c
0.66
0.79
0.73
--------------
0.39
0.25
0.55
—
0.31
0.14
0.50
0.71
0.85
1.00
1.00
1.00
0.67
0.82
1.00
1.00
1.00
of a greater proportional growth by the young in the contaminated
environment*
Strontium-85 in clam shells has been discussed previously
and Figure 7 shows the results quite well*
In most fractions there was a gradual uptake of strontium-85 for
almost the entire 80 days as indicated by the numbers of days required
to reach maximum observed concentrations*
Maximum activities in both
clam fractions occurred late in the experiment indicating continuous
uptake of strontium-85 from the environment.
Considering the calcium
carbonate composition of the shelly one would expect this to occur in
clam shells.
Since this continuous uptake also occurs in the soft parts
it is indicative that the mantle* which contains the shell-secreting
cells and was included in the soft parts fraction* was probably also
accumulating strontium-85*
Cesium-137
Maximum observed mean activities for cesium-137 are listed in
Table 24.
Tadpoles accumulated more cesium-137 than any other organism*
39*000 pc/g in the gut.
Snails contained the next highest activities
(4*200 pc/g in the soft parts).
Carp in the pond accumulated more
cesium-137 in each fraction them did those in the tank*
Activities in
bluegills* while low in comparison to the carp* were several times
higher in the pond fish than in the tank bluegills*
Higher maxima were
observed in both fractions of adult and juvenile Lampsilis compared to
the other clam species*
These differences probably occurred as a result
of early maxima* 8 days or less* in Lampsilis and the lack of Anodonta
samples before day-38.
Terminal activities for both species were
TABLE 24
66
Carp (tank)
Carp
Bluegill (tank)
Bluegill
Carp (tank)
Carp
Bluegill (tank)
Bluegill
Carp (tank)
Carp
Bluegill (tank)
Bluegill
Tadpole
Tadpole
Snail
Snail
Snail
Lampsilis (adult)
Lampsilis (juvenile)
Anodonta (adult)**
Anodonta (juvenile)**
Lampsilis (adult)
Lampsilis (juvenile)
Anodonta (adult)**
Anodonta (juvenile)**
flesh
flesh
flesh
flesh
bone
bone
bone
bone
viscera
viscera
viscera
viscera
body
gut
shell
soft parts
unborn young
shell
shell
shell
shell
soft parts
soft parts
soft parts
soft parts
438
1422
37
279
299
684
25
161
931
1320
89
396
21138
38875
550
4194 ■,
3231
137
81
44
54
2986
1856
653
624
2
12
66
16
16
16
66
16
4
16
66
12
4
2
4
2
2
8
2
38
66
8
2
38
80
a
Values expressed in pc/g, dry weight.
k
Ratio of accumulation after 80 days to maximum observed mean
accumulation.
0
No pond bluegills available after 24 days.
^
No samples available before 38 days.
Retention
Ratio**
Fraction
Number of
Days to Reach
Maximum
Organism
Maximum
Observed
Mean
Accumulation
CESIUM-137 ACCUMULATION IN TEST ORGANISMS
0.54
0.63
0.59
___c
0.31
0.59
0.72
--0.18
0.42
0.75
--0.03
0.16
0.19
0.10
0.06
0.10
0.10
0.95
0.69
0.21
0.26
0.55
1.00
67
approximately the same*
No clear differences between age groups of
either clam species were evident*
The most striking data are the days on which maxima were observed*
Accumulation was generally very rapid at first and, judging from the low
degree of retention by most sample fractions, there was much loss of
activity during the experiment.
Cesium-137 was retained less than
cobalt-60, zinc-65, or strontium-85.
Cesium-137 activity in sample
organisms was related to the gradual decrease in dissolved cesium-137
after the initial rapid loss from solution in the first few days of the
experiment•
Fallout radionuclides
in rain water
Rain water samples were collected from the time the plastic liner
was placed to the end of the experiment.
The predominant fallout radio­
nuclides were zirconium-95-niobium-95, ruthenium-103 and ruthenium-106,
and cerium-141 and cerium-144.
At the present time there is no routine
procedure for quantitatively determining the amounts of each of these
radionuclides present in the rain samples.
The principal difficulty is
that the two ruthenium isotopes have an identical emission energy; the
cerium isotopes also have the same emission energy.
The relative
amounts of these pairs of radioisotopes present in air at Cincinnati,
Ohio during August, 1962(34) were used to approximate the amount of
radioruthenium and radiocerium present in the rain samples.
Zirconium-95-niobium-95 data could be quantified in the same manner as
the test radionuclides.
68
Results are listed in Table 25 which shows the total activities
in microcuries of zirconium-95-niobium-95* radioruthenium (ruthenium-106
and ruthenium-103)* and radiocerium (cerium-144 and cerium-141) entering
the pond during each rainfall.
Most of these activities entered the
pond before the test radionuclides were added on July 30*
The total activities entering the pond with rainfall were low in
/
comparison to those of the experimental radionuclides.
Consequently) no
attempt was made to take into account any effect of the fallout radio­
nuclides on experimental uptake data other than that of obtaining
baseline data for experimental media* which activities were generally
very low.
Decontamination of experimental
pond water
The details and results of pond water decontamination after
completion of the experiment will appear in a future issue of the Health
Physics Journal(35).
However* some results will be discussed here.
Agitation of the bottom sediments between the two decontamination
runs greatly increased the amount of suspended materials in the water;
there was no fractionation of water samples.
The mean activities for
both runs* high and low turbidities* are shown in Table 26 and indicate
no removal by filtration following coagulation and sedimentation.
Radionuclide concentrations in the water after all treatment processes
were only slightly above background levels.
Most of the zinc-65 in the
water of low turbidity was removed by flocculation indicating that most
of it was associated with suspended materials.
Strontium-85 was removed
predominantly by the cation exchange resin which indicates that most of
TABLE 25
69
TOTAL FALLOUT ACTIVITIES ENTERING POND IN RAINFALL
Rainfall
Entering
Pond)
liters
Date of
Rainfall
6/11
'
Total Activities» yic
Radio­
Radio­
95
95
Zr -Nb
ruthenium
cerium
2850
2,05
1.0
1.0
6/12
1200
0,67
0.3
0.4
6/13
1300
0,94
0.4
0.3
6/19
4800
15.12
9.0
20.0
6/24
2900
1.45
0.9
1.0
6/25
2200
1.14
0.7
1.0
7/2
3200
2.02
1.0
1.0
7/5
9500
1.62
1.0
2.0
7/9
1400
0.88
0.7
7/14
7750
1.0
__a
7/15
9500
11.40
6.0
10.0
7/16
5200
5.15
3.0
7.0
7/23
1350
0.68
0.4
0.6
7/25
750
0.41
0.3
0.4
7/29
550
0.23
0.1
8/7
4050
0.97
0.5
0.2
__ b
8/26
2600
3.64
1.0
4.0
9/1
4700
2.35
3.0
9/2
6500
2.34
1.0
__ b
0.7
9/9
4700
0.71
0.4
1.0
9/10
400
0.40
0.1
0.3
9/10
1350
0.38
0.3
0.7
9/14
1000
0.46
0.4
0.6
9/19
600
0.23
0.8
0.4
10/3
18300
1.83
3.0
4.0
10/7
600
0.28
0.4
0.5
10/8
2200
0.84
2.0
3.0
a
Sample lost before analysis*
k
Less than 0*1 pc.
__ a
__ a
TABLE 26
70
RESULTS OF POND WATER DECONTAMINATION8,
Activities* Pc/1
Sampling Location
n
Co60
Sr85
„ 137
Cs
Low Turbidityb
Raw Water
197
112
2214
157
After Flocculation
124
23
2111
37
After Filtration
122
19
2100
45
After Cation Exchange
52
10
14
65
After Anion Exchange
28
8
9
23
Hi«ch Turbidity0
1325
2018
1745
2430
After Flocculation
348
178
1400
78
After Filtration
296
133
1380
78
After Cation Exchange
45
20
20
55
After Anion Exchange
32
16
14
39
Raw Water
a
There was no fractionation of water samples before analysis*
b
Before suspension of sediments* Means of 10 hourly samples*
Turbidity about 60 on Jackson scale*
c
After suspension of sediments* Means of 9 hourly samples*
Turbidity about 1000 on Jackson scale*
the strontium was in solution.
Cobalt-60 and cesium-137 assumed an
intermediate relationship*
The raw, turbid water of the second run contained much more silt
and consequently more activity per liter*
Flocculation* in this
instance* removed a much greater percentage of the activity which was
associated principally with the suspended matter*
strontium-85 was dissolved*
Most of the
SUPPLEMENTARY RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Physical and chemical properties
of the experimental and
control ponds
Results of chemical analyses of the two pond waters are shown in
Tables 27 and 28*
Calcium and magnesium concentrations in the control
pond increased slightly during the experiment; those in the experimental
pond remained nearly constant*
Phosphate concentration in the experi­
mental pond was always higher than in the control pond and was probably
the result of little non-planktonic algae being present; the bottom of
the control pond was always covered with several algal forms which
apparently utilized most of the available phosphates*
Iron and manganese
concentrations were appreciably higher in the experimental pond, probably
due to leaching of these elements from the sand substrate*
Additional
data shown in Table 29 indicate little difference between the two ponds
for concentrations of sodium, potassium, zinc, and strontium.
These
latter analyses were performed on water samples collected before the
experiment began*
Dissolved oxygen concentrations, which are included in Table 30,
were always higher in the control pond because of the greater mass of
algae in that pond and the subsequent photosynthesis which took place up
to sampling time (3:00 P*M*)*
No consistent differences between the
ponds were exhibited by pH or temperature data*
72
TABLE 27
RESULTS OF CHEMICAL ANALYSES OF EXPERIMENTAL POND WATER6
Chloride
Total
Phosphate
Total
Hardness
as CaCOg
11
0.36
180
114
—
—
40
23
0.03
132
90
0.11
33
13
0.07
124
82
132
106
Manganese
42
Iron
—
Magnesium
_b
Date
Days
From
Start
Calcium
1 8
Sulfate
£
6/20
—
33
23
0.20
7/5
—
19
20
0.08
7/29
—
18
19
0.36
0.04
■rt n
e as
0 z;
+> -1 o
o m
8/1
2
22
18
0.45
0.20
0.35
35
12
8/3
4
23
16
0.56
0.20
0.55
35
12
0.10
122
112
8/7
8
22
18
0.44
0.20
0.47
34
12
0.10
132
112
8/11
12
29
18
0.36
0.11
0.15
34
13
0.25
148
130
8/15
* 16
25
19
0.32
0.09
0.15
32
13
0.05
142
130
8/23
24
25
20
0.32
0.10
0.10
37
14
0.11
146
126
9/6
38
22
19
0.34
0.10
0.20
32
14
0.70
136
120
9/20
52
21
19
0.28
0.11
0.20
32
14
0.13
132
118
10/4
66
27
18
0.68
0.08
0.12
32
10
0.19
144
122
10/18
80
24
22
0.12
0.06
0.15
31
8
0.13
150
116
£
As determined by R. C. Kroner*
k
Below limits of detectability.
All values reported as mg/1*
—
to
h b 8
a! -i-i aj
TABLE 28
2V
21
7/29
—
32
20
0.03
—
—
Total
Alkalinity
as CaGOg
—
—
34
11
0.07
156
128
9
9
Ch
H
9
09
•
Total
Hardness
as CaC03
7/5
_b
Total
Phosphate
19
Chloride
30
Ammonia
as NH3/N
--
Manganese
Magnesium
6/20
Date
Days
From
Start
Iron
Calcium
'
RESULTS OF CHEMICAL ANALYSES OF CONTROL POND WATER®
—
0.27
30
23
0.07
140
106
—
0.05
28
13
0.05
164
124
0.10
164
140
172
146
8/1
2
32
20
0.08
—
0.22
34
13
8/3
4
34
21
0.02
—
0.20
36
13
8/7
8
40
23
0.03
—
0.15
40
12
0.10
194
166
8/11
12
37
25
0.12
—
0.07
38
14
0.05
194
170
8/15
16
46
23
0.10
—
0.10
40
14
0.07
208
184
8/23
24
41
24
0.10
—
0.10
40
15
0.03
200
176
9/6
38
42
28
0.04
--
0.05
33
16
0.07
220
204
9/20
52
35
24
0.06
—
0.17
31
15
0.10
186
170
10/4
66
39
18
—
0.05
39
10
168
150
10/18
80
36
24
0.05
42
13
188
150
a
As determined by R* C. Kroner*
k
Below limits of detectability.
—
0.06
—
—
0.05
All values reported as mg/1*
•j
•Ik
TABLE 29
75
ADDITIONAL RESULTS OF CHEMICAL ANALYSES OF POND WATER
Concentrat ions » mg/1
Pond
Sodium
Potassium
Zinc
Strontium
Experimental
10
8
0.03
0.138
Control
12
8
0.04
0.134
TABLE 30
RESULTS OF WATER SAMPLE ANALYSES AS DETERMINED AT POND SITE*
Dissolved
Oxygen**
Date
Days
Frew
Start
Alkalinity
as CaCOjj**
PH
Hardness
as CaGOg
Pond°
A
PondC
B
Pond
A
Pond
B
Pond
A
Pond
B
Pond
A
Pond
B
Temp. (°C)
Pond
A
Pond
B
7/31
1
9.4
19.2
9.0
9.4
98
118
122
150
29
— d
8/2
3
9.6
18.6
9.0
9.4
102
122
128
154
30
30
8/6
7
7.0
14.0
8.7
8.8
110
144
136
182
30
30
8/8
9
9.2
17.8
8.8
9.0
138
140
178
174
34
32
8/10
11
11.4
17.0
8.9
9.0
148
286
142
182
29
29
8/13
14
10.4
15.8
7.8
8.7
118
158
154
158
28
27
8/16
17
9.6
17.4
8.7
8.9
138
166
152
206
27
27
8/20
21
13.4
17.6
8.3
10.2
154
152
154
186
30
30
8/22
23
11.8
15.8
8.1
9.8
174
192
152
196
31
30
8/24
25
13.6
15.6
—
—
156
160
156
194
31
30
9/4
36
11.4
12.2
9.0
8.5
140
196
150
222
29
28
9/7
39
10.2
14.6
9.2
9.5
142
138
140
170
25
25
9/24
56
12.4
18.4
9.6
9.0
136
170
166
190
20
20
9/25
57
11.6
16.4
8.9
8.8
198
200
172
196
20
20
9/26
58
11.8
16.4
8.4
8.5
162
156
164
238
19
19
9/28
60
11.8
18.0
9.2
8.9
134
158
170
202
19
18
\
TABLE 30— Continued
Dissolved
Alkalinity
Oxygen*1
Date
Days
From
Start
Pond°
A
PondC
B
pH
as CaC0jb
Hardness
as CaCOjb
Pond
A
Pond
B
Pond
A
Pond
B
Pond
A
Pond
B
Temp. (°c)
Pond
A
Pond
B
10/2
64
9*6
13.8
8.6
8.4
136
156
150
236
17
17
10/5
67
12.4
18.4
9.0
8.6
132
170
150
190
20
20
10/8
70
12.4
13.5
9.4
8.9
138
132
158
190
20
20
10/10
72
10.8
18.4
8.8
9.0
184
164
136
120
22
23
10/12
74
12.6
18.8
8.9
8.5
142
178
138
184
23
23
10/15
77
10.2
19.2
8.8
9.0
102
202
148
202
25
25
£
Vater samples were collected at 3:00 p.m.
^
Acidity determinations were always zero*
Values are expressed in mg/1*
£
Pond A is the experimental pond; Pond B is the control pond*
d
Data not available*
si
-a
78
Data in Table 31 show a gradual decrease in light intensity from
beginning to end of the experiment*
Mean weekly water temperatures,
shown in Table 32, were nearly the same in the pond and the fish tanks
and demonstrated a gradual decrease from about 26°C in early September
to about 19°C at the end of the experiment*
Maximum air temperatures
were higher in the sunlit area than in the shade, but the means were
approximately the same.
The water in the experimental pond was more turbid than water in
the control pond; control pond water was always sufficiently clear to
permit one to see the pond bottom through several feet of water.
The
experimental pond water was so turbid that the bottom could be seen only
through a few inches of water.
to two factors:
The high turbidity was due principally
recirculation of the water and, more importantly) the
behavioral characteristics of the bottom-feeding carp*
The large
numbers of phytoplankton present in the water also added to the turbidity
of the experimental pond*
Phytoplankton in experimental
and control ponds
Tremendous differences were observed in the abundance and numbers
of generic forms of phytoplankton in the two ponds as shown in Tables 33
and 34*
The experimental pond contained more genera and many more
numbers of blue-green and coccoid green algae and diatoms*
This is at
least partially due to competition between phytoplankton in the control
pond and the abundant, non-rooted algae present in that pond*
In many
comparable situations phytoplankton cannot successfully compete with
non-rooted larger plants(36)*
This contention is supported by the
79
TABLE 31
MEAN WEEKLY LIGHT INTENSITIES*
Date
Foot-Candles
Date
/
Foot-Candles
7/29-8/4
520
9/9-9/15
390
8/5-8/11
490
9/16-9/22
360
8/12-8/18
490
9/23-9/29
360
8/19-8/25
450
9/30-10/6
8/26-9/1
390
10/7-10/13
340
9/2-9/8
420
10/14-10/20
320
Obtained from recordings every two hours*
Data not available*
__ b
TABLE 32
80
MEAN WEEKLY WATER AND AIR TEMPERATURES®
-
Date
Water (Fish Tanks)
Water (Experimental Pond)
Minimum
Mean
Maximum
Minimum
Mean
Maximum
7/29-8/4
21
26
30
21
27
31
8/5-8/11
21
26
31
22
28
33
8/12-8/18
19
23
27
19
25
30
8/19-8/25
20
25
29
21
26
30
8/26-9/1
18
26
29
18
27
31
9/2-9/8
16
23
28
18
24
29
9/9-9/15
18
22
25
18
23
27
9/16-9/22
13
18
24
14
19
26
9/23-9/29
13
b
16
18
14
17
18
—
—
—
—
—
9/30-10/6
10/7-10/13
17
19
21
17
19
22
10/14-10/20
14
18
22
14
19
22
Air (In Sun)
Air (In Shade)
Minimum
Mean
Maximum
Minimum
Mean
Maximum
7/29-8/4
12
22
37
11
22
37
8/5-8/11
10
22
37
10
22
37
8/12-8/18
9
19
30
9
19
33
8/19-8/25
12
22
32
11
23
40
8/26-9/1
13
23
32
12
23
36
9/2—9/8
6
18
28
5
19
31
9/9-9/15
9
19
30
9
19
34
9/16-9/22
2
13
25
2
14
31
9/23-9/29
5
13
20
5
13
25
m mmm
—
—
--
9/30-10/6
—
—
10/7-10/13
9
17
27
9
18
28
10/14-10/20
4
15
27
3
15
27
a
Obtained from recordings every two hours*
^
Data not available*
Temperature in °C*
81
TABLE 33
EXPERIMENTAL POND PHYTOPLANKTONa
Green
Flagellates
Other
Pigmented
Flagellates
9,786
(8)
446
(3)
445
(3)
934
(4)
vmmt
3,032
(5)
8/1
2
8/3
Date
Days
From
Start
BlueGreen
Algae
Coccoid
Green
Algae
Diatoms
Total
312
(l)
5,938
(2)
21,566
(16)
134
(2)
268
(2)
5,863 '
(3)
9,251
(11)
334
(2)
803
(2)
6,311
(4)
19,731
(24)
1,849
(5)
12,747
(15)
490
(2)
535
(2)
5,238
(4)
20,859
(28)
4
6,742
(3)
25,873
(12)
994
(2)
704
(1)
13,124
(6)
47,437
(24)
8/7
8
985
(4)
4,701
(15)
102
(2)
0
(0)
5,511
(5)
11,299
(26)
8/11
12
3,170
(4)
18,961
(16)
85
(1)
980
(1)
6,226
(5)
29,422
(27)
8/15
16
4,407
(5)
8,590
(9)
178
(1)
430
(2)
5,180
(5)
18,785
(20)
8/23
24
10,440
(6)
7,846
(9)
88
(1)
0
(0)
4,075
(3)
22,449
(18)
9/6
38
3,567
(4)
8,654
(4)
267
(1)
714
(1)
7,248
(4)
20,540
(14)
9/20
52
10,882
(3)
5,976
(3)
357
(1)
446
(1)
2,407
(4)
20,068
, (12)
10/4
66
16,433
(4)
4,013
(4)
736
(2)
1,160
(2)
3,565
(3)
25,907
(15)
10/18
80
85,522
(3)
2,296
(5)
0
(0)
803
(2)
3,255
(3)
91,876
(13)
6/26
5,084b
(2)c
■
7/5
7/29
a
Analyses performed by Dr* L* G. Williams*
Number of live cells per ml*
Number of genera represented in a particular group*
7,644
(14)
82
TABLE 34
CONTROL POND PHYTOPLANKTON&
Date
Days
From
Start
BlueGreen
Algae
Coccoid
Green
Algae
Other
Pigmented
Flagellates
Diatoms
Total
2,053
(3)
824
(2)
179
(2)
3,257
(10)
Green
Flagellates
7/5
0
(0)
112b
(3)c
7/29
0
(0)
90
(2)
736
(5)
2,898
(4)
224
(4)
3,948
(15)
8/1
2
401
(3)
134
(2)
134
(2)
3,987
(2)
692
(6)
5,348
(15)
8/3
4
89
(1)
0
(0)
312
(2)
401
(3)
447
(5)
1,249
(11)
8/7
8
67
(1)
67
(2)
200
(3)
1,137
(3)
380
(5)
1,851
(14)
8/11
12
89
(2)
89
(3)
268
(3)
67
(1)
579
(5)
1,092
(14)
8/15
16
89
(1)
22
(1)
157
(2)
580
(2)
446
(4)
1,294
(10)
8/23
24
63
(2)
44
(2)
112
(2)
512
(3)
245
(5)
976
(14)
9/6
38
0
(0)
0
(0)
156
(2)
70
(1)
225
(5)
451
(8)
9/20
52
67
(2)
45
(1)
379
(4)
313
(2)
112
(2)
916
(11)
10/4
66
0
CO)
44
(1)
0
(0)
22
(1)
225
(4)
291
(6)
0
(0)
0
(0)
111
(3)
223
(2)
471
(7)
805
(12)
10/18
80
a
Analyses performed by Dr* L. G. Williams*
^
Number of live cells per ml*
c
Number of genera represented in a particular group*
83
phosphate concentration which was consistently lower in the control pond*
The great numbers of diatoms* principally Synedra sp* and Nitzschia sp«*
in the experimental pond might also be attributable to a greater availa­
bility of silicon* required for the growth of diatoms(37)* as a result
of the sand substrate.
Other predominant genera of phytoplankton in the
experimental pond were Coelastrum* Agmenellum* Anacystis* and
Gymnodinium. Only one group demonstrated a definite seasonal pattern;
the coccoid green algae gradually decreased in numbers and genera after
early August.
\u
SUMMARY OF RADIOLOGICAL RESULTS
There was an initial rapid loss of cobalt-60) zinc-65) and
cesium-137 from solution; cobalt-60 and zinc-65 became principally
associated with the suspended solids and cesium-137 with the bottom
sediments*
Strontium-85 was gradually removed from solution.
Eight
percent of the cobalt-60) 4 percent of the zinc-65) and 5 percent of the
cesium-137 remained in solution after 4 days.
Sixty-four percent of the
strontium-85 was still in solution at this time.
More zinc-65 was found in biological samples than any of the other
test radionuclides except in some hard parts fractions) such as shell
and bone} in which strontium-85 activities usually exceeded those of
zinc-65.
The primary consumers) carpf snailsf clams) and tadpoles)
accumulated more of each radionuclide than did the predatory bluegill.
In general) soft parts rapidly accumulated more activity than hard parts
but gradually lost it as radionuclide concentrations in the water
decreased.
Clam and snail shells and fish bone usually accumulated
zinc-65 and strontium-85 for almost the duration of the experiment.
Carp) snails) and clams remaining after the final sampling from
the pond were placed in continuously replenished) uncontaminated water
for 3 weeks) but no detectable radionuclide loss was observed.
During
this time the water temperature was low) about 15°C less than at the
end of the experiment and the metabolic activity of these test organisms
84
85
was greatly reduced*
Any loss of radionuclides would) as a result) be
inhibited*
Young clams and snails accumulated more zinc-65 and strontium-85
than did adult individuals of these two groups*
However) strontium-85
concentrations in the soft parts of clams were higher in the adults*
The maximum observed accumulation of strontium-85 occurred in the
crayfish exoskeleton; maximum activities of the other test radionuclides
were observed in the tadpoles*
Lampsilis juveniles grew much more than adults of that species
and carp in the pond increased in weight by as much as 250 percent while
the weight of tank carp remained nearly constant*
The polyethylene liner proved to be very satisfactory for this
experiment although care had to be taken not to puncture the plastic.
The amount of fine sediments in the substrate was the most detrimental
factor since it removed much of the added radionuclides and resulted in
variable radionuclide concentrations in the substrate samples.
A
cleaner sand or fine gravel would have been more desirable*
The rapid relocation of cobalt-60) zinc-65) and cesium-137
indicated that water samples should have been collected more frequently
during the first week of the experiment in order to follow this
distribution more closely*
Water samples could also have been collected
at various depths and locations in the pond to determine if there were
differential radionuclide concentrations in the pond despite recircu­
lation of the water*
The effect of growth and species differences) as demonstrated by
the clams and fish) is indicative of the information that is needed to
86
obtain workable results of field investigations*
These and other
inherent physiological characteristics must be related to observed field
data before general conclusions can be made.
Uptake variability within
a species on each sampling day in this relatively uniform environment
also indicates that variability in the field would be expected to be
even greater*
Consequently* field sampling programs have to be based
on large numbers of uniform samples if possible*
Experimental uptake
data obtained by this laboratory were much less variable* due in part to
the fact that these latter experimental fish were of uniform size and were
not fed during these tests*
Differences in feeding are apparently quite
important in determining radionuclide concentration by test organisms*
LITERATURE CITED
1*
FRIENDy A* G. 1960-1961. Progress Reports. Cooperative Studies
Unity Robert A. Taft Sanitary Engineering Center) Division of
Radiological Health) U. S. Public Health Service) Cincinnati) Ohio*
2.
DAVIS, J. J., COOPEY) R. W., WATSON, D. G., PALMITER, C. C., and
COOPER) C. L. 1952* The radioactivity and ecology of aquatic
organisms in the Columbia River. U. S. Atomic Energy Commission
Document HW-25021, pp. 19-29*
3.
HEKDE) K. E. 1957. A one-year study of radioactivity in Columbia
, River fish. U. S. Atomic Energy Commission Document HW-11344)
11 pp.
4.
KRUMHOLZ, L. A. 1956. Observations on the fish population of a
lake contaminated by radioactive wastes. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat.
Hist., 110:277-368.
5.
PROSSER, C. L., PERVINSEK, W., ARNOLD, J., SVIHLA, G., and TOMPKINS,
P. C. 1945. Accumulation and distribution of radioactive strontium,
barium-lanthanum, fission mixture and sodium in goldfish. U. S.
Atomic Energy Commission Document MDDC-496, 39 pp*
6.
BACHMANN, R. W., and ODUM, E. P. 1960. Uptake of Z n ^ and primary
productivity in marine benthic algae. Limnol. Oceanogr., 5(4):349355.
7*
GUTNECHT, J. 1963.
Oceanogr., 8(1):31-38.
8*
RICE, T. R.) and WILLIS, V. M. 1959. Uptake, accumulation, and
loss of radioactive cerium-144 by marine planktonic algae. Limnol*
Oceanogr., 4(3):277-290*
9.
SCOTT, R* 1954* A study of cesium accumulation by marine algae*
Proc. 2nd Radioisotope Conf., 373 pp.
10.
uptake by benthic marine algae.
Limnol.
BOROUGHS, H., CHIPMAN, W. A., and RICE, T. R. 1957. Laboratory
experiments on the uptake, accumulation, and loss of radionuclides
by marine organisms. In: Effects of atomic radiation on oceanogra­
phy and fisheries. National Academy of Sciences— National Research
Council, Washington, D* C., Publication 551, pp. 80-87*
87
88
11.
CHIPMAN, W. A., RICE, T. R., and PRICE, T. J. 1958. Uptake and
accumulation of radioactive zinc by marine plankton, fish, and
shellfish. U. S. Fish and Vildlife Service, Fishery Bulletin 135,
58:279-292.
12.
PHILLIPS, Jr., A. M., LOVELACE, F. E., BROCKWAY, D. R. and BALZER,
Jr., G. C. 1952. Absorption of radio-active calcium by feeding
brook trout. Cortland Hatchery. Fish. Res. Bull. 16, 21:32-42.
13.
SLATER, J. V. 1961. Comparative accumulation of radioactive zinc
in young rainbow, cutthroat and brook trout. Copeia, 1961(2):158161.
14.
ROSENTHAL, H. L.
1957. Uptake of Ca45 and Sr90 from water by
fresh water fishes. Science, 126(3276):699-700.
15.
WILLIAMS, L. G. 1960. Uptake of cesium-137 by cells and detritus
of Euglena and Chlorella. Limnol. Oceanogr., 5(3):301-311.
16.
PENDLETON, R. C.
1957. Absorption of Cs^-37 by ^ aquatic community.
U* S. Atomic Energy Commission Document HW-53500, pp. 35-43.
17.
TEMPLETON, W. L.
1962. Progress Report 286, Radiobiology Group,
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, 19 pp.
18. NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS HANDBOOK 69.
of Commerce, 95 pp.
1959.
19. JACKSON, M. L. 1958. Soil chemical analysis.
Englewood Cliffs, N. J. pp. 219-221.
20. RADIOLOGICAL HEALTH HANDBOOK. I960.
Health, U. S. Public Health Service.
U. S. Department
Prentice-Hall Inc.,
Division of Radiological
468 pp.
21. HAGEE, G. R., KARCHES, G. J., and VELTEN, R. J. 1960.
Determination of 1-131, Cs-137, and Ba-140 in fluid milk by gamma
spectroscopy. Talanta, 5:36-43.
22. DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY TECHNICAL MANUAL, TM5-4610-204-12.
Headquarters, Department of the Army. 261 pp.
1961.
23. FRIEND, A. G., DIEPHAUS, E. A., STORY, A. H., and HENDERSON, C. R.
1963. Fate of radionuclides in fresh water environments. Progress
Report No* 4, Lower Three Runs and Savannah River. Robert A. Taft
Sanitary Engineering Center, Division of Radiological Health, U. S.
Public Health Service, Cincinnati, Ohio. 29 pp. (Mimeo).
24. O'CONNOR, J. T. and RENN, C. E. A study of zinc in natural waters.
Report for Research Grant AT(30-1)-2536 from the United States
Atomic Energy Commission Division of Biology and Medicine. 16 pp«
89
25.
FRIEND) A. G., STORY) A. H. and PORCELLA) D. B. Fate of radio­
nuclides. Annual Report; 1960-1961. Robert A. Taft Sanitary
Engineering Center) Division of Radiological Health) U. S. Public
Health Service) Cincinnati) Ohio. (In Press).
26.
ANDREW) Jr., R. W. and CUMMINGS, S. L.
Unpublished data.
27. FRIEND, A. G., STORY, A. H., ANDREW, Jr., R. W., and PORCELLA, D. B.
Fate of radionuclides in fresh water environments. Progress.
Report No. 10, Clinch and Tennessee Rivers. Robert A. Taft
Sanitary Engineering Center, Division of Radiological Health, U. S.
Public Health Service, Cincinnati, Ohio. (In Press).
28. FRIEND, A. G., STORY, A. H., HENDERSON, C. R. and HOWELL, M.1961.
Fate of radionuclides in fresh water environments. Progress
Report No. 3, Mohawk River. Robert A. Taft Sanitary Engineering
Center, Division of Radiological Health, U. S. Public Health Service,
Cincinnati, Ohio. 36 pp. (Mimeo).
29. PETTUS, M. J. and STRAUB, C. P.
1963.
Unpublished data.
30.
BROWN, M. E. 1957. The physiology of fishes.
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PENDLETON, R. C. and HANSON, W. C. Absorption of cesium-137 by
components of an aquatic community. Second United Nations Geneva
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32. HUBSCHMAN, J.
33.
Academic Press,
1963. Unpublished data.
STORER, T. I.
1951. General Zoology. McGraw-Hill Book Company,
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34. STRAUB, C* P.
1962. Progress Report for November, 1962.
Radiological Health Research Activities, Robert A. Taft Sanitary
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Health Service, Cincinnati, Ohio. 36 pp. (Mimeo).
35.
LINDSTEN, D. C., HASUIKE, J. K., and FRIEND, A. G. Removal of
radioactive contaminants from a seminatural water source with U . S .
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36.
WELCH, P. S. 1952. Limnology. McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc.,
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SMITH, G. M. 1950. The fresh-water algae of the United States.
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AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Iy William Aloysius Brungs, Jr., was born in Covington, Kentucky
on August 10, 1932.
I received my secondary-schoo1 education in the
parochial school system of Columbus, Ohio, and my undergraduate training
at the Ohio State University, which granted me my Bachelor of Science
degree in Zoology in 1958.
My Master of Science degree was also
received from the Ohio State University in 1959 with specialization in
Genetics and Aquatic Biology.
While completing the requirements for the
Doctor of Philosophy degree in Wildlife Management, I was awarded two
ful1-year and one summer National Science Foundation Fellowships.
The
research for this dissertation was performed while I was employed by the
U. S. Public Health Service, Cincinnati, Ohio, where I am currently
conducting research in bioaccumulation of specific radionuclides.
90